OBJECTIVE OF TELL ME WITHOUT TELLING ME: Get your team to guess as many cards as possible before the timer runs out, while following whatever weird rule the die gives you.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4+ players (the more the merrier)
MATERIALS OF TELL ME WITHOUT TELLING ME: 400 subject cards, 1 custom die, 1 sand timer, instructions
TYPE OF GAME: Party card game
AUDIENCE: 18+
OVERVIEW OF TELL ME WITHOUT TELLING ME
Tell Me Without Telling Me is basically charades (well… kinda)… but with a twist that makes it way funnier (and way harder). This is one of those games that’ll have you rolling around in laughter in no time. And best with a few drinks on hand too! It’s quick, loud, and perfect for house parties. Trust us; we know! So, if you’re ready to have some fun with a new party card game, let’s get started and get to know the rules of Tell Me Without Telling Me.
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SETUP FOR TELL ME WITHOUT TELLING ME
Before the shouting and laughing begin, here’s how to set up the Tell Me Without Telling Me game:
- Shuffle all cards into one big draw pile.
- Split into two teams. Try to keep them roughly even.
- Put the sand timer and die within reach of the current clue giver.
- Choose which team goes first in whatever method you fancy.
And voila. That’s it! Now you’re ready to learn the rules of this hilarious adult party card game.
HOW TO PLAY TELL ME WITHOUT TELLING ME
Okay, so you’re ready to play Tell Me Without Telling Me? Here are the game rules to know. Don’t worry; it’s super simple, and you’ll be playing in no time at all.
TEAMS TAKE TURNS
First things first, keep in mind the game is played in rounds. On your team’s round:
- Pick one person to be the clue giver.
- Rotate clue givers each round, so everyone gets their moment to shine (or panic more likely).
ROLL THE DIE (AKA: FIND OUT HOW YOU’RE ALLOWED TO CLUE)
Before your round starts, the clue giver rolls the die. Whatever you roll determines the rule you must follow while giving clues.
Here are the die results:
1) SHOW DON’T TELL
As you might be able to guess, no words or sounds allowed. In other words, you have to act it out Charades-style.
2) ONE SYLLABLE
In this one, you can only use one-syllable words. And this goes without saying, but you can’t say any of the actual words on the card.
3) FREESTYLE
Lucky you! If you roll this, you can say whatever you want… except the words on the card, of course!
START THE TIMER + START CLUEING
Once the clue-giver rolls the die:
- Flip the timer to start your turn.
- Draw the top card from the pile.
- Start giving clues using the rule you rolled.
- If your team guesses correctly, keep the card in your team’s score pile and draw a new card right away.
Your goal? Get as many correct guesses as possible before the timer runs out. Remember: you just get one minute to do all of this!
IF YOU BREAK THE RULES…
If you break the rules for that die roll (for example, you say a two-syllable word in One Syllable), you must:
- Discard that card
- Draw a new one and keep going (no renewing the timer, so do this quickly!)
WHEN THE TIMER RUNS OUT
When time is up, your turn ends immediately.
If the clue giver was in the middle of a card, the other team gets one chance to guess it:
- If they guess it correctly, they steal the card for their score pile.
- If they don’t guess it, discard the card.
Then, it becomes the other team’s turn.
END OF GAME
Play 7 rounds total per team. Each correct answer is worth 1 point, so tally the points at the end of the game. The team with the highest score wins.
If the score is tied, it’s time for a tiebreaker!
TIEBREAKER
Each team chooses one clue giver. Both clue givers draw a single card, roll the die, and go at the same time. The first team to guess correctly wins the game!
OTHER SIMILAR GAMES
If your group is a huge fan of Tell Me Without Telling Me, you should check out these similar games!
- Taboo
- Codenames
- Scattergories
- Trivial Pursuit
- Charades
FAQ
Is Tell Me Without Telling Me Hard to Play?
Not at all! This party card game is incredibly easy to understand and play. However, due to the nature of the game, the game is still rated 18+.
Can You Discard a Card as the Clue-Giver?
Well, the official rules for Tell Me Without Telling Me say you can pass on a card, but only mention it in case of “breaking” the die rule. So you can either break a rule on purpose or state a rule before playing that you can pass a card whenever you want with no penalty. Up to you!
What Does NSFW Mean in Tell Me Without Telling Me?
NSFW is short for Not Safe for Work, meaning it is not suitable to play at work and may contain dirty words or innuendos.
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