Rules FAQs

• Start by saying how many words* are in the prompt (e.g., "four words"). Then give clues for each word. Using opposites of the word is a good idea (e.g., if the prompt is "good times", perhaps start by saying: two words, first word "opposite of bad," second word: "minutes, hours, days. . ."). 

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• *It is illegal to say "words" if "word" is part of the prompt. Same goes for numbers. You get the idea. 

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• If there are numbers in your prompt, give other numbers as clues (e.g., if the prompt is "four", perhaps say "not one, not two, not three, but  . . .")

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• You can say if a word is hyphenated. 

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• Tell your team if the prompt is an expression. You may want to try to describe it in lay terms (e.g., for "stick 'em up", say a robber says this when they rob a bank)

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• Many of the prompts are old-timey expressions. Tell your team "old timey!" (e.g., "gets my goat", "stick 'em up, "the bee's knees")

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• The word "gerund" is your friend. It means the "ing" version of a verb. Like "dropping" is the gerund version of "drop."

• I don't know. Maybe it's a copyright thing. Or maybe it's easier to play with an old-timey prospector that way. It is a game for everyone. Anyway, tell your team if the prompt is old-timey.

This depends on the situation. Here are some guidelines. 

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• Word: "yesterday"; clue: "today"

  • Loosey goosey: this is totally fine​

  • Stickler: no way. challenge that

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• Word: "female"; clue: "not male"​

  • Loosey goosey: this is totally fine​

  • Stickler: no way. challenge that

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• Word: "mister"; clue: "not miss"​

  • Loosey goosey: this is totally fine​

  • Stickler: this is totally fine. don't be that guy

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• Word: "Sunday"; clue: any other day of the week ​

  • Loosey goosey: this is totally fine​

  • Stickler: this is totally fine

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• Word: "right hand"; clue: "you write with this" ​

  • Loosey goosey: uhh. I guess.

  • Stickler: to keep the peace, allow it

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• Word: "a", "the", "and"; clue: same word ​

  • Loosey goosey: This is fine as long as you don't intentionally say it in order, such as saying "blank and blank" if the prompt is "black and white"

  • Stickler: agreed

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• Word: "you" or "your"; clue: "you"

  • Loosey goosey: This is fine as long as you don't intentionally say it in order, such as saying "blank your blank" if the prompt is "wash your hands"

  • Stickler: no. It is always illegal to say "you" if it is part of the prompt.

• If the game is clearly in the hands of the previous clue-giver and not in the hands of the other team, then the other team gets the point and the previous clue-giver goes again. No bonus point guess is permitted. 

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• If the game is clearly in the hands of the other team even if they have no opportunity to guess a new clue, the previous team gets a point. The previous team has a bonus point opportunity if the "next" button was pressed before time went off.

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• If the game is held by both people, it is a tie. No points awarded. The previous clue-giver goes again.​​​

• It's tough to get up sometimes. So the previous clue-giver is permitted to throw it to the other team with some caveats from the lawyers . . . ​

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• Depending on how well you get along with the person next to you, recommended distance between players is within reach. But you can sit up to five feet or so from the next player. Unless you're Tom Brady. He gets ten feet.

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• The previous clue-giver assumes the risk of said throw, and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless the next clue-giver of all damages. 

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• The previous clue-giver assumes the risk of dropping and breaking the game and disappointing everyone. Which would kind of defeat the purpose of not having to get up in the first place.

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• if the throw causes the "next" button or the "go/stop" button to be hit, then the other team gets the point.    

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• In the official rules, the previous clue-giver does not press "next". The next clue-giver is supposed to press "next". Don't make a big deal about it though. This is not the hill you should die on. 

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• As an alternate game play, if everyone agrees, then the previous "clue-giver" can be designated as the person to press "next". This isn't an official rule though and you are free to consider this rule suspect.  Sticklers are not big fans of alternate game plays. You have been warned.​​

• Don't do this. It isn't cool. Just win because you are better. (Said the stickler.)​​

• The team that gets the first point in each game gets the honor of being "Team 1" for that game.

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• This resets for the next game. This is a significant honor that should be announced and cherished.