The rules in five lines
Each player gets a secret word. Civilians all share the same one, say Cat. Spies get another one, close but different, say Dog. Nobody knows which side they are on.
In turn, each player describes their word in one word or a short phrase, without saying it. Too precise and the spy latches onto you, too vague and you become the suspect.
After the round of clues, everyone votes to eliminate a suspect. The eliminated player reveals their side.
Civilians win once every impostor is out. Spies win when they are as many as the remaining civilians.
Mister White variant. One player gets no word at all and has to work out the civilians' word from what they hear. If eliminated, they get one last chance to say it, and if they are right, they win alone.
How many impostors per table
The simple rule, the one the game applies by default. One spy up to five players, two from six to eight, three from nine to twelve. Mister White joins from four players, on top of the spies.
The cap is simple too. Spies never exceed half the players minus one, three spies for seven players for instance, and Mister White comes on top. A single Mister White with no spy also holds, the game becomes pure guessing.
On paper, these numbers are set by hand, and the custom is to keep impostors in the minority. On the phone, the host adjusts the spy count and turns Mister White on or off from the setup screen, the game blocks impossible combinations.
Twenty classic pairs
The starter pairs, the ones you hand a table discovering the game. One word goes to the civilians, the other to the spy, in whichever order you like.
- Cat / Dog
- Pizza / Burger
- Beach / Pool
- Coffee / Tea
- Car / Motorcycle
- Subway / Bus
- Book / Magazine
- Movie / TV show
- Mountain / Forest
- Baker / Pastry chef
- Soccer / Rugby
- Guitar / Piano
- Apple / Pear
- Tiger / Lion
- King / Queen
- Salt / Sugar
- Train / Plane
- Doctor / Nurse
- Sun / Moon
- Paris / London
Twenty food pairs
The theme that gets people talking most. Everyone has an opinion on fondue, and the spy holding mac and cheese does just fine.
- Fondue / Mac and cheese
- Pancake / Waffle
- Grilled cheese / Panini
- Cheddar / Mozzarella
- Espresso / Cappuccino
- Macaron / Meringue
- Mustard / Mayonnaise
- Butter / Margarine
- Rice / Pasta
- Fries / Onion rings
- Salami / Ham
- Oyster / Mussel
- Salmon / Trout
- Chicken / Turkey
- Strawberry / Raspberry
- Melon / Watermelon
- Zucchini / Eggplant
- Cookie / Brownie
- Tiramisu / Panna cotta
- Curry / Stew
Fifteen movie and TV pairs
Heroes, sagas and shows the whole table knows. Check everyone has the references, otherwise the one who has not seen the film passes for the spy.
- Star Wars / Star Trek
- Harry Potter / The Lord of the Rings
- James Bond / Jason Bourne
- Batman / Iron Man
- Spider-Man / Superman
- Darth Vader / Voldemort
- Yoda / Gandalf
- Zombie / Vampire
- Friends / How I Met Your Mother
- Game of Thrones / Vikings
- The Simpsons / South Park
- Toy Story / Shrek
- Frozen / Moana
- Mario / Sonic
- Sherlock Holmes / Hercule Poirot
Fifteen travel pairs
Places and holiday objects. Descriptions stay concrete, which helps tables that are just starting.
- Hotel / Hostel
- Tent / Hammock
- Suitcase / Backpack
- Passport / Visa
- Airport / Train station
- Cruise / Ferry
- Compass / GPS
- Helicopter / Hot air balloon
- Castle / Palace
- Museum / Gallery
- Pyramids / Sphinx
- Rome / Athens
- Venice / Amsterdam
- New York / Tokyo
- Volcano / Geyser
Fifteen sport and hobby pairs
Sports, games and pastimes. The field, the gear and the pace give clues without giving it away.
- Basketball / Volleyball
- Judo / Karate
- Boxing / Wrestling
- Marathon / Triathlon
- Surfing / Paddleboarding
- Kayak / Canoe
- Golf / Billiards
- Badminton / Squash
- Yoga / Pilates
- Chess / Checkers
- Poker / Blackjack
- Jigsaw puzzle / Lego
- Karaoke / Concert
- Salsa / Tango
- Skateboard / BMX
Fifteen everyday pairs
Office, home and clothes. The tightest pairs on the list, for tables that want long games.
- Pen / Pencil
- Stapler / Paper clip
- Printer / Scanner
- Elevator / Escalator
- Sofa / Armchair
- Shower / Bathtub
- Fridge / Freezer
- Oven / Microwave
- Curtain / Blinds
- Washing machine / Dishwasher
- Earbuds / Headphones
- Watch / Alarm clock
- Sweater / Hoodie
- Scarf / Beanie
- Pajamas / Bathrobe
How to play without a phone
Take as many slips of paper as players. Write the civilians' word on all of them except one or two with the spy's word, and one blank slip if you play with Mister White. Fold, shuffle, hand out.
Whoever prepares the slips knows both words. They sit that round out, or they prepare several rounds ahead in numbered envelopes. Draw lots for who speaks first, then go around the table.
For the vote, everyone points at a suspect at the same time on the count. The eliminated player's slip is unfolded in front of everyone.
Or let the phone hand out the words
The hundred pairs above are enough for a whole evening. If nobody wants to prepare the slips or sit a round out, The Spy on PlaySobr hands out the words. The host creates a room, the others scan a QR code, each player discovers their word in secret on their phone, and the vote happens on screen.
Six word universes to mix or play pure, more than 280 pairs with no repeats within a room, Mister White and the spy count adjustable, and a single-phone mode that passes from hand to hand for guests without a device. Free, no account, nothing to install, 3 to 12 players.