Related Words
Think like the crowd. Cash in on the overlap.
This is the game for people who think they know their friends' brains better than their friends do. There's no drawing, no talking, no bluffing — just a topic, a blank list, and the quiet bet that someone else in the room will land on the exact same word you did.
Objective
Write words that match the topic — and earn a point for every other player who wrote the same word.
How to play
- Everyone sees the same topic (e.g. 'Animals'). Each player secretly writes up to 3 words that fit the topic.
- You can use singular or plural — they count as the same word.
- Once everyone locks in, the matches are revealed. A word earns you points only if at least one other player also wrote it.
Scoring
Each word you wrote scores 1 point for every other player who wrote the exact same word (cap: the other players in the room). Words nobody else wrote score 0.
Example round
- The topic is 'Animals'. Ana, Ben, Cleo, and Dan each write up to 3 words in secret.
- Ana writes: Lion, Penguin, Elephant.
- Ben writes: Penguin, Tiger, Elephant.
- Cleo writes: Penguin, Giraffe, Elephant.
- Dan writes: Lion, Zebra, Fox.
- Penguin and Elephant were each written by three players, so Ana, Ben, and Cleo score points for both; Lion only matches Ana and Dan, so those two score smaller points for it, while Tiger, Giraffe, Zebra, and Fox all match nobody and score 0.
Strategy tips
- Skip the word you'd say first — if it's obvious to you, it's obvious to the table, and obvious words often overlap the most.
- For loose topics like 'Animals', lean toward the most commonly known member of the category rather than an obscure one you personally like.
- Singular and plural count as the same word, so don't waste one of your three slots hedging between 'Penguin' and 'Penguins'.
- Watch what the group tends to reach for after a few rounds — a table full of movie buffs will converge differently than one full of foodies.
Best with
Works from a single player warming up alone up through a full room, and scales cleanly either way — it's equally at home filling five minutes on a video call or opening a longer game night.
Variations
- Agree beforehand to ban proper nouns, so 'Simba' doesn't sneak in under 'Animals'.
- Play a speed variant where everyone has to write all three words within a countdown you call out loud.
- Run it as a warm-up round before a bigger session to see who in the group thinks alike.
FAQ
Do plural and singular versions of a word count as a match?
Yes — the game treats 'Penguin' and 'Penguins' as the same word when checking for matches.
What happens if nobody else wrote my word?
That word simply scores 0 for you; there's no penalty, so it costs nothing to take a risk on all three slots.
Can I play this with just one other person?
Yes, the game supports solo-scale lobbies, though matches naturally happen more often with more players in the room.