How to Play Charades (Heads-Up Style)

The idea

One player — the guesser — holds the phone against their forehead with the screen facing the room. They cannot see the word, but everyone else can. Teammates describe it, act it out or hum it, and the guesser tries to get as many words as possible before time runs out. You can play charades on PartyDeck with any phone.

Teams and turns

Split into two teams. Teams take turns; within a team, take turns being the guesser. A round lasts 60, 90 or 120 seconds — 60 is lively, 120 suits younger players or acting-only rounds.

Answering: tilt or tap

• Correct: nod your head down so the screen faces the floor, or tap the green button.
• Pass: tip your head back so the screen faces the ceiling, or tap the orange button.
• After each gesture, bring the phone back upright before the next one counts. This stops a single nod from scoring twice.

Tilt control uses the phone's motion sensor. On iPhone the browser asks for permission first; if you decline, or the device has no sensor, PartyDeck uses the buttons and shows a short message. On a laptop or TV use the arrow keys: → correct, ← pass, P pause.

Clue rules

The classic rules: no saying the word, no parts of it ("sun" for "sunflower"), no spelling it out and no "sounds like" in other languages. Gestures, examples and opposites are all fair. Agree before you start whether sound effects are allowed.

Scoring

Each correct word is one point. Passed words score nothing and there is no penalty, so passing quickly is often the best strategy. At the end of the round PartyDeck lists all the words; tap any word to switch it between correct and passed if someone answered in a rush, then add the points to the team. The word on screen when time runs out is not counted.

Variations

• Acting only: teammates may not speak at all. Use 120-second rounds.
• One word only: each clue must be a single word.
• Kids: choose Animals, Actions or Kids' Classics and allow sound effects.
• Classroom: make a list of vocabulary words on My words, mirror the screen to a projector and switch on Big screen. Classroom icebreaker games has a projector version where nobody holds the phone, and the classroom card sheet needs no screen at all.

Categories in PartyDeck

Animals (50), Actions (50), Everyday Objects (50), Food (48), Jobs (48), Sports & Games (48), Places (48), Things That Fly or Float (46), Feelings & Faces (48), Around the World (48), Nature & Weather (48), Household Chores (48), Music & Dance (48), Kids' Classics (48), Hobbies (48), Party Time (48), Christmas (48). Every list avoids brand names, film titles and real people, so everyone at the table has a fair chance.

Questions

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