Round 1: Explain with Words
Master the art of verbal descriptions
How This Round Works
In Round 1, you can use any words to describe the word on your card - except the word itself or words with the same root. This is your chance to be creative with explanations and build associations your team will remember in later rounds. The clues you give now will help your team in Round 2 (gestures) and Round 3 (one word only).
Rules
- Use as many words as you want to describe the target word
- Cannot say the word itself or any word with the same root (e.g., can't say 'run' for 'running')
- Cannot use sounds, gestures, or point at objects
- Can pass and come back to a difficult word if time allows
Tips & Tricks
Start with the category - tell your team if it's a person, place, thing, or action
Use memorable associations that will help your team recognize the word in Round 2 and 3
Describe the context - where would you see this? When would you use it?
Use 'sounds like' or 'rhymes with' hints for difficult words
Keep track of time - don't spend too long on one word, you can always come back
Pay attention to what works - notice which clues help your team guess fastest
Challenge Word Categories
Abstract Concepts
These words are hard to define because they represent ideas rather than physical things. Great for challenging experienced players!
democracy, irony, nostalgia, karma, paradox, ambition, conscience, wisdom, freedom, justice, curiosity, empathy, intuition, fate, serendipity
Similar-Sounding Words
Words that are easy to confuse with others. Be precise with your descriptions to avoid misleading your team!
affect/effect, complement/compliment, principal/principle, stationary/stationery, desert/dessert, accept/except, advice/advise, altar/alter, capital/capitol, elicit/illicit
Technical Terms
Specialized vocabulary that requires creative explanations for non-experts. Can you describe these without jargon?
algorithm, photosynthesis, metabolism, cryptocurrency, linguistics, anthropology, quantum, infrastructure, biodiversity, hypothesis
