The original designer of the game, Dr. Peter Suber, has a web site about it at his site
Malcolm also introduce me to another site listing Nomic-like games, located at www.nomic.net.
Following is a list of the rules for Nomic. It is no doubt one of oddest logic games ever devised. The players add rules that change the existing rules until they reach such a deadlock that one player cannot make a legal "move". I guess you just have to read the rules! I believe these same rules were published by Douglas Hofstadter in "Metamagical Themas". There is supposedly some place on the net where folks actually play this, but I don't know the link. There is a listing of played games here if you'd like to see some sample games.
There is no board, and the entire game consists of the rules and the modifications to them that the players create. Good luck.
Initial Set of Rules of Nomic
I. Immutable Rules
101. All players must always abide by all rules then in
effect, in the form in which they are then in effect.
The rules in the Initial Set are in effect whenever a
game begins. The Initial Set consists of Rules 101-116
(immutable) and 201-213 (mutable).
102. Initially, rules in the 100's are immutable and rules
in the 200's are mutable. Rules subsequently enacted
or transmuted ( i.e. changed from immutable to mutable
or vice versa ) may be immutable or mutable regardless
of their numbers, and rules in the Initial Set may be
transmuted regardless of their numbers.
103. A rule change is any of the following : ( 1 ) the
enactment, repeal, or amendment of a mutable rule; ( 2
) the enactment, repeal, or amendment of an amendment,
or ( 3 ) the transmutation of an immutable rule into a
mutable rule, or vice versa. ( Note : This definition
implies that, at least initially, all new rules are
mutable. Immutable rules, as long as they are immut-
able, may not be amended or repealed; mutable rules, as
long as they are mutable, may be amended or repealed.
No rule is absolutely immune to change. )
104. All rule changes proposed in the proper way shall be
voted on. They will be adopted if and only if they
receive the required numnber of votes.
105. Every player is an eligible voter. Every eligible
voter must participate in every vote on rule changes.
106. Any proposed rule change must be written down before it
is voted on. If adopted, it must guide play in the
form in which it was voted on.
107. No rule change may take effect earlier than the moment
of the completion of the vote that adopted it, even if
its wording explicitly states otherwise. No rule
change may have retroactive application.
108. Each proposed rule change shall be given a rank-order
number ( ordinal number ) for reference. The numbers
shall begin with 301, and each rule change proposed in
the proper way shall receive the next successive
integer, whether or not the proposal is adopted.
If a rule is repealed and then re-enacted, it receives
the ordinal number of the proposal to re-enact it. If
a rule is amended or transmuted, it receives the ordi-
nal number of the proposal to amend or transmute it.
If an amendment is amended or repealed, the entire rule
of which it is a part receives the ordinal number of
the proposal to amend or repeal the amendment.
109. Rule changes that transmute immutable rules into mut-
able rules may be adopted if and only if the vote is
unamimous among the eligible voters.
110. Mutable rules that are inconsistent in any way with
some immutable rule ( except by proposing to transmute
it ) are wholly void and without effect. They do not
implicitly transmute immutable rules into mutable rules
and at the same time amend them. Rule changes that
transmute immutable rules into mutable rules will be
effective if and only if they explicitly state their
tranmuting effect.
111. If a rule change as proposed is unclear, ambiguous,
paradoxical, or destructive of play, or if it arguably
consists of two or more rule changes compounded or is
an amendment that makes no difference, or if it is oth-
erwise of questionable value, then the other players
may suggest amendments or argue against the proposal
before the vote. A reasonable amount of time must be
allowed for this debate. The proponent decides the
final form in which the proposal is to be voted on and
decides the time to end debate and vote. The only cure
for a bad proposal is prevention: a negative vote.
112. The state of affairs that constitutes winning may not
be changed from achieving n points to any other state
of affairs. However, the magnitude of n and the means
of earning points may be changed, and rules that estab-
lish a winner when play cannot continue may be enacted
and ( while they are mutable ) be amended or repealed.
113. A player always has the option to forfeit the game
rather than continue to play or incur a game penalty.
No penalty worse than losing, in the judgement of the
player to incur it, may be imposed.
114. There must always be at least one mutable rule. The
adoption of rule changes must never become completely
impermissible.
115. Rule changes that affect rules needed to allow or apply
rule changes are as permissible as other rule changes.
Even rule changes that amend or repeal their own
authority are permissible. No rule change or type of
move is impermissible solely on account of the self-
reference or self-application of a rule.
116. Whatever is not explicitly prohibited or regulated by a
rule is permitted and unregulated, with the sole excep-
tion of changing the rules, which is permitted only
when a rule or set of rules explicitly or implicitly
permits it.
II. Mutable Rules
201. Players shall alternate in clockwise order, taking one
whole turn apiece. Turns may not be skipped or passed,
and parts of turns may not be omitted. All players
begin with zero points.
202. One turn consists of two parts, in this order: (1) pro-
posing one rule change and having it voted on, and (2)
throwing one die once and adding the number of points
on it's face to one's score.
203. A rule change is adopted if and only if the vote is
unamimous amoung the eligible voters.
204. If and when rule changes can be adoted without unanim-
ity, the players who vote against winning proposals
shall receive 10 points apiece.
205. An adopted rule change takes full effect at the moment
of the completion of the vote that adopted it.
206. When a proposed rule change is defeated, the player who
proposed it loses 10 points.
207 Each player always has exactly one vote.
208. The winner is the first player to achieve 100 ( posi-
tive ) points.
209. At no time may there be more than 25 mutable rules.
210. Players may not conspire or consult on the making of
future rule changes unless they are teammates.
211. If two or more mutable rules conflict with one another,
or if two or more immutable rules conflict with one
another, then the rule with the lowest ordinal number
takes precedence.
If at least one of the rules in conflict explicitly
says of itself that it defers to another rule ( or type
of rule ) or takes precedence over another rule ( or
type of rule ), then such provisions shall supersede
the numerical method for determining procedence.
If two or more rules claim to take precedence over one
another or to defer to one another, then the numerical
method must again govern.
212. If players disagree about the legality of a move or the
interpretation or application of a rule, then the
player preceding the one moving is to be the Judge and
to decide the question. Disagreement, for the purposes
of this rule, may be created by the insistence of any
player. Such a process is called invoking judgement.
When judgement has been invoked, the next player may
not begin his or her turn without the consent of a
majority of the other players.
The Judge's judgement may be overruled only by a unani-
mous vote of the other players, taken before the next
turn is begun. If a Judge's judgement is overruled,
the player preceding the Judge in the playing order
becomes the new Judge for the question, and so on,
except that no player is to be Judge during his or her
own turn or during the turn of a teammate.
Unless a Judge is overruled, one Judge settles all
questions arising from the game until the next turn is
begun, including questions as to his or her own legi-
timacy and jurisdiction as Judge.
New Judges are not bound by the decisions of old
Judges. New Judges may, however, settle only those
questions on which the players currently disagree and
that affect the completion of the turn in which judg-
ment was invoked. All decisions by Judges shall be in
accordance with all the rules then in effect; but when
the rules are silent, inconsistent, or unclear on the
point at issue, then the Judge's only guides shall be
common morality, common logic and the spirit of the
game.
213. If the rules are changed so that further play is impos-
sible, or if the legality of a move is impossible to
determine with finality, or if by the Judge's best rea-
soning, not overruled, a move appears equally legal and
illegal, then the first player who is unable to com-
plete a turn is the winner.
This rule takes precedence over every other rule deter-
mining the winner.
