Want to read more, but need motivation or direction? Want to gamify or expand your reading? Try book bingo! Our hope with this challenge is to provide a fun way for you to keep up with your recreational reading goals throughout the next 12 months.

How Does It Work?

The goal is to read something that fits the theme for each bingo square in any single row, column, or corner diagonal of your choice (one work per square). You’re welcome to complete the entire card (or multiple cards) for an additional challenge goal, but you only need to check off a single line of 5 squares to complete the challenge.

So what can you read? Well, anything you enjoy, really. There’s no requirement to consume any particular kind of work, so any length, format, subject, or genre is totally fine. Want to read graphic novels, audiobooks, poetry, 10-page memoirs, or works in other languages? No problem. There’s no bingo police, either! If you think you can make a well-reasoned argument for why something fits the spirit of a square, go for it. There’s even a process for substituting a square if it doesn’t quite fit your preferences.

We hope you’ll participate in the community throughout the year by posting what you’re reading in the weekly “What are you reading?” thread, and by helping others with recommendations.

In mid-April, 2026, we’ll put up a turn-in post to collect everyone’s cards. After the thread closes at the end of April, we’ll use the submissions to put together a summary of the results, and to determine eligibility for community flair (currently not possible, but maybe in the future!) or some other recognition. If you want to be included, please make sure to contribute to that post, even if you’ve made other bingo posts or comments during the year.

Rules

  • You must read a different work for every square you complete, even across multiple cards. There’s no problem, however, with overlapping other reading challenges that aren’t associated with c/Books.
  • Repeating authors on the same card isn’t forbidden, but we encourage you to read different authors for every square on a card.
  • Likewise, we encourage you to primarily read things you haven’t read before.
  • If you’re having trouble filling a certain square, you are welcome to substitute any non-duplicate square from last year’s card. The center square (C3) is the one exception, and is not eligible for substitution. Please limit your substitutions to one per card.
  • The 2025 challenge runs May 1st, 2025 – April 30th, 2026. Anything you finish during that time period is eligible, as long as you were no more than halfway through on May 1st, 2025.

Upping the Difficulty

Want an additional challenge? Try one of these, or come up with a variation of your own (and share them!).

  • Hard Mode: This is just a stretch goal for those interested – it does not convey any greater achievement. Most square descriptions include an optional extra restriction, which you can do or ignore on a square-by-square basis. It’s up to you!
  • Genre Mode: Read only one genre.
  • Review Mode: Write a review (ratings alone don’t count) for the books you read for bingo, either here on c/Books, a personal blog, Bookwyrm, The Storygraph, Hardcover.app, or elsewhere.

The Card

2025 Bingo Card

Full Size Card

Squares in List Form

The Squares

Row 1

  • 1A Number in the Title: The work must have a number in the title that’s not a just a volume/version number. Example: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. HARD MODE: Only numbers in the title.
  • 1B Author from a Different Continent: The author(s) resides on a different continent than you do. HARD MODE: The work required translation to be published in your native language.
  • 1C Featured Creature: A sentient non-humanoid is the primary PoV, or a non-humanoid creature holds such a prominent role that the work would be completely different without them. Examples: Call of the Wild by Jack London or Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. HARD MODE: Not a sci-fi/fantasy creature.
  • 1D Minority Author: The author is a member of a generally underrepresented or marginalized demographic where you live, such as LGBTQIA+ or BIPOC. HARD MODE: Belongs to more than one minority group.
  • 1E Now a Major Motion Picture: The work has been adapted into a show or single episode, movie, play, audio drama, or other format. HARD MODE: Watch or listen to the adaptation as well (rewatches are ok!).

Row 2

  • 2A Independent Author: Read a work self-published by the author. Any work later published though a conventional publishing house doesn’t count unless you are reading it before the switch, and its rerelease date is after April 30th, 2026. HARD MODE: Not published via Amazon Kindle Direct.
  • 2B Set in War: The work takes place with an active war in the foreground or background. The characters do not need to be directly involved in combat, but the war’s presence must be a primary driver of the narrative. HARD MODE: There are more than 2 factions in the war.
  • 2C Orange Crush: The title, a prominent element of the cover, or the narrative involves some form of orange (color, word, or fruit). HARD MODE: The work you chose uses multiple types of orange features.
  • 2D Short and Sweet: Read a individual piece of work under 170 pages or 40,000 words. HARD MODE: Read a collection of this type of short work.
  • 2E Banned Book: Read a work from the ALA’s (American Library Association’s) list of the top 100 banned books in the US 2010-2019. If you are a non-American and there is a similar list for your region, that is also a valid source for comparable information. Additionally, you can use the content from the Wikipedia post on banned books. HARD MODE: One of the top 50 (or equivalent).

Row 3

  • 3A Based on Folklore: The narrative must be based on a real world piece of folklore. Folklore encompasses fairy tales, fables, myths, and legends. HARD MODE: Non-European folklore.
  • 3B Title: [X] of [Y] - The title of the book must feature the format described, such as A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. HARD MODE: [X] of [Y] and [Z] (the conjunctions can be flexible).
  • 3C FREE SPACE - Off Your TBR Pile: A book that’s been on your TBR list for a long time. HARD MODE: Overlaps with at least one other bingo square theme.
  • 3D LGBTQIA+ Lead: A main character identifies as LGBTQIA+. HARD MODE: Includes a significant romantic relationship between characters that identify as LGBTQIA+.
  • 3E Saddle Up: The narrative revolves around someone whose identity is tied to being a rider of something, such as a horse, dragon, or motorcycle. HARD MODE: The ridden creature/object is treated as a character in its own right.

Row 4

  • 4A New Release: New for 2025/2026 (no reprints or new editions). First translations into your language of choice are allowed. HARD MODE: This is the first work you’ve read by this author.
  • 4B Alliterative Title: Many books boldly boast alliteration to attract audience attention. HARD MODE: More than 2 alliterative words in the title, excluding definite articles or conjunctions.
  • 4C Judge a Book by Its Cover: Chosen because you like its cover (or cover analogue). HARD MODE: Picked using only the information available on the front cover.
  • 4D Award Winner: Has won a notable and widely regarded literature award. HARD MODE: More than one award.
  • 4E Gamble, Game, or Contest: Features an organized gamble, game, or contest (life-and-death or otherwise). HARD MODE: Take a gamble on a style or genre of work you don’t typically read, as well.

Row 5

  • 5A Steppin’ Up!: Challenges can come at you quickly, especially for those least prepared. Whether it’s a major leadership position or suddenly being gifted a baby dragon, life is about to get a whole lot harder and more complicated. HARD MODE: The primary PoV does not assume the throne of a monarchy/empire.
  • 5B Political: Political movements are a major driver of the work. HARD MODE: From the perspective of machinations in the background, outside the typical positions of power or major government.
  • 5C Late to the Party: Apparently this is a really popular work, you just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Read a book that you have seen recommended over and over. HARD MODE: Not Harry Potter.
  • 5D Cozy Read: Cozies generally feature a smaller cast of characters in a smaller location, emphasize community, highlight successes and inspirational moments, and have a more optimistic and upbeat tone. Above all, they have to have a satisfyingly happy ending. They offer comfort to their readers and a safe escape from the realities of daily life. HARD MODE: There is no hard mode, hard mode defeats the purpose of the cozy task.
  • 5E Jerk with a Heart of Gold: A significant figure may be rude, gruff, or even insufferable; however, beneath all that, a surprising kindness shows in the right moments. Maybe they are bad at the whole feelings thing, are doing it to hide a deep pain or maintain a position of responsibility, or maybe it’s just all a façade, but their actions ultimately reveal a core of genuine caring. HARD MODE: Not A Man Called Ove/Otto.

Resources

If you make or find any bingo-related resources, ping or DM me so I can add them here. Thanks!

Appreciation

  • This challenge is inspired by, but totally separate from, the one run by r/Fantasy on Reddit. We deeply appreciate the past organizers and the work they did that we are now benefitting from.
  • 2025 bingo card font credits: Parchment, by Photo-Lettering, Inc.; Noto Sans, by the Noto Project authors.
MarkDown Card (click to expand)
A B C D E
1 Number in the Title Author from a Different Continent Featured Creature Minority Author Now a Major Motion Picture
2 Independent Author Set in War Orange Crush Short and Sweet Banned Book
3 Based on Folklore Title: X of Y FREE SPACE - Off Your TBR Pile LGBTQIA+ Lead Saddle Up
4 New Release Alliterative Title Judge a Book by Its Cover Award Winner Gamble, Game, or Contest
5 Steppin’ Up! Political Late to the Party Cozy Read Jerk with a Heart of Gold
  • OmegaMouse@pawb.social
    4·
    7 hours ago

    Neat! I appreciate all the work that has gone into this (the design of the bingo card is excellent and clear).

    Now to look at my TBR and work out what would fit best… I was planning to read One Hundred Years of Solitude next anyway, which I think would be suitable for several squares (Number in the Title, Author from a Different Continent, Minority Author, Now a Major Motion Picture, Late to the Party)! As it’s one book per square I’ll have to work out which one is most suitable :)

  • JaymesRS@literature.cafeOPMEnglish
    2·
    7 hours ago

    In showing that this game is about the spirit of the challenge not the letter, I’m announcing up front that this year I am putting less emphasis on the different authors encouragement. I also typically go for blackout.

    I have discovered a ton of great series in the last few years by various authors but resisted binging series because they didn’t count for cards I was doing. This year I’m going to try and catch up on a bunch of those series and as they fit the squares feel more free to count them and be less concerned about making sure each author is unique. (I’m still going to push to add unique authors as well, I’ll just be more open to same authors as fallbacks)

    I’m super excited to dig in.