How to play the imposter game
The imposter game is a bluffing game for a group sitting together. Everyone gets the same secret word except the imposter, who only learns that they're the imposter. Players take turns giving one-word clues, then vote on who they think is faking it. You need one phone, tablet or laptop and at least three people.
- Set up. Choose the number of players (3 to 20) and imposters, pick a word pack, and decide what the imposter sees: nothing, the category, or a hint word. Names are optional; without them the cards say Player 1, Player 2 and so on.
- Pass the phone. The screen says whose turn it is. That player taps to see their card, remembers it, taps Hide & pass on and hands the phone to the next person. Each card shows once, so nobody can scroll back.
- Give clues. The tool picks who starts. Going round the circle, each player says one word or short phrase linked to the secret word. Be specific enough to prove you know it, but vague enough not to give it away to the imposter.
- Discuss and vote. Start the timer and argue it out. When time's up, everyone points at the player they suspect at the same moment.
- Reveal. Tap Reveal the imposter to show the word and who was bluffing, mark who won, and tap Play again for a new word with the same players.
Tips for a good round
- For the crew: clues that only make sense if you know the word work best. For “Penguin”, “tuxedo” is better than “bird”, which the imposter could have said too.
- For the imposter: listen to the clues before yours and say something that fits all of them. If you go first, pick a clue that suits almost anything, like “cold” or “popular”.
- House rule: if the group catches the imposter, give them one guess at the word. A correct guess steals the round. It keeps the imposter in the game right to the end.
- Big groups: with 8 or more players, try two imposters. They don't know about each other, so they may even accuse each other.
- New players or kids: turn on A hint word so a first-time imposter has something to work with.
The word packs
All packs are family-friendly. Mixed draws from food, animals, places, things around the house, jobs, sports and family movies, and with “Imposter sees: the category” the imposter learns which of those the word came from. Every word has its own hint word for the imposter. In the Kids and Bible for kids packs every card shows a big picture: the word's picture for the crew, and for the imposter a question mark picture of the same size whose shape and colour change every round, so young players who can't read yet can join in. The pictures are Twemoji graphics, licensed under CC-BY 4.0.
- 🎲 Mixed: 280 words, for example Pizza, Sushi, Pancakes
- 🍕 Food: 41 words, for example Pizza, Sushi, Pancakes
- 🐘 Animals: 46 words, for example Elephant, Giraffe, Penguin
- 🏖️ Places: 39 words, for example Beach, Airport, Hospital
- 🛋️ Around the house: 40 words, for example Toothbrush, Umbrella, Pillow
- 🧑🚒 Jobs: 42 words, for example Doctor, Teacher, Firefighter
- ⚽ Sports: 36 words, for example Soccer, Basketball, Baseball
- 🎬 Family movies: 36 words, for example Frozen, Toy Story, The Lion King
- 🎄 Christmas & holidays: 44 words, for example Santa Claus, Reindeer, Snowman
- 🦃 Thanksgiving: 36 words, for example Turkey, Pumpkin pie, Cranberry sauce
- 🧸 Kids: 50 words, for example Dog, Cat, Ball
- 🏫 School: 41 words, for example Pencil, Eraser, Backpack
- 📜 Bible: 64 words, for example Abraham, Sarah, Isaac
- 🕊️ Bible for kids: 30 words, for example Noah, Rainbow, Dove
- 🧠 Hard words: 45 words, for example Echo, Shadow, Silence
Want your own theme, like inside jokes, a TV show or this week's spelling list? Choose Your own words and type them one per line; add a hint after a colon (“Pizza: Italian”). Your list stays in this browser.
Troubleshooting
- Someone saw another player's card. Tap Back to set-up and start again: a new game draws a new word and new imposters.
- The timer ran out mid-argument. Tap +30 s, or set a longer timer (up to 10 minutes) or none at all.
- Two players share a name. The game asks for different names so the reveal is clear. Add an initial: “Sam B” and “Sam K”.
More for game night
Need teams or a random order of play? Spin the wheel spinner. For a longer discussion round, a big online timer works on a TV. Planning a holiday party? Run the gift draw with the Secret Santa generator and print a round of bingo cards.