Secret Rule
One player has a secret rule. Everyone else works it out.
Secret Rule is a deduction game where one player knows something nobody else does. The rule holder receives a secret rule, such as 'things that are yellow' or 'words with a double letter', and keeps it to themselves. Everyone else sends in items they think might fit, and the holder marks each one as fitting or not. Fits and misses build up on a shared wall, and the first players to work out the rule score the most. It rewards careful guessing, pattern spotting and a bit of nerve.
Objective
One player holds a secret rule, like "things that are yellow". Everyone else sends items, the holder marks each one as fitting or not, and the first to work out the rule wins the most.
How to play
- The rule holder sees a secret rule and taps Start. Nobody else can see it.
- Everyone else sends things they think might fit. The holder marks each one as fitting or not.
- Fitting and non-fitting items build up on a shared wall, so you can spot the pattern.
- Think you know it? Send a rule guess. The holder judges it right or not quite.
- The round ends when the clock runs out or everyone has solved it. Then the rule is revealed.
Scoring
Guessers who find the rule score +3 for first, +2 for second, +1 for third and after. The holder scores +1 per solver. A rule that everyone solves within 20 seconds is too easy and scores the holder nothing.
Example round
- The holder, Priya, sees the rule 'things that are yellow' and taps Start. Nobody else can see it.
- Leo sends 'banana' and Priya marks it as fitting. Dee sends 'apple' and it is marked as not fitting. Leo sends 'sun' and then 'lemon', and both fit.
- Looking at the wall, Dee sees a pattern and sends a rule guess: 'yellow things'. Priya judges it right, and Dee scores 3 points for being first to solve it.
Strategy tips
- Test the extremes. Send items that would fit very different rules, so every answer rules a lot out.
- Read the wall by column. Look for what the fitting items share and what the non-fitting ones do not.
- Do not guess too early. A wrong guess is public, so it can hand the others a clue about what you were thinking.
- Do not wait too long either. The points for solving shrink with each player who gets there first.
- As the holder, mark carefully and quickly. Every wrong mark sends the whole room in the wrong direction, and a slow queue frustrates everyone.
Best with
Best with 4 to 8 players, and it needs at least 3: one holder and two guessers to race each other. Everyone plays from their own phone, and the holder should keep their screen to themselves. A round takes a few minutes, so it works well as a main game in an evening. It plays equally well in a living room or over a video call.
Variations
- Let the host adjust the probe timer for longer, more thoughtful rounds or a quick sprint.
- Play enough rounds that everyone gets to be the holder, then check the scoreboard.
FAQ
Who can see the rule?
Only the rule holder. Everyone else sees the rule only when the round ends and the results are revealed.
How are points scored?
The first guesser to solve the rule scores 3 points, the second 2, and everyone after that 1. The holder scores 1 point per solver, unless everyone solves it within 20 seconds, which counts as too easy.
Can I send more than one item at a time?
You send one item at a time and wait for the holder to mark it. You can draft the next one while you wait.
What happens if the holder leaves?
The round ends with no verdict and the game moves on to the next holder.