Cyanoacetic acid derivatives are the starting materials for a plethora of multicomponent reaction (MCR) scaffolds. Here we describe valuable general protocols for the synthesis of arrays of 2-aminothiophene-3-carboxamides from cyanoacetamides, aldehydes or ketones, and sulfur via a Gewald-3CR variation. In many cases the reactions involve a very convenient work up by simple precipitation in water and filtration