How to Play the Imposter Game

Everything your group needs for the first round: setup, roles, clues, voting and the small rules that make the game great. Want to try it right away? Play the Imposter Game online — free, in your browser.

What you need

• 3–12 players in the same room (4–10 is ideal).
• One phone to pass around — or paper slips if you prefer analog.
• 5–10 minutes per round.

The roles

Every round has two roles. Crew players all know the same secret word (say, Giraffe). The imposter does not know the word — they only know the category and, if you enable hints, a one-word nudge. The crew wins by identifying the imposter; the imposter wins by surviving the vote (or by guessing the word, if you play with that rule).

Round walkthrough

1. Word reveal

Pass the phone around. Each player privately taps to reveal the word. Crew players see the secret word; the imposter sees “You are the imposter” plus the category. Keep your poker face — reactions leak information.

2. Clue round

Going clockwise, each player gives one clue about the word without saying it or any part of it. For Giraffe, clues might be “tall”, “savanna”, “spots”. The imposter must improvise something plausible from the clues heard so far. Play one or two full circles.

3. Discussion

Open discussion: challenge vague clues, ask follow-ups, compare stories. This is where the game shines — see our questions to catch the imposter for lines that make fakers sweat.

4. Vote

On the count of three, everyone points at (or votes for) their suspect. The most-voted player reveals their role. If the group caught the imposter, the crew wins. If not, the imposter escapes with the victory.

Scoring (optional)

• Crew catches the imposter: each crew player +10 points.
• Imposter survives the vote: imposter +20 points.
• Imposter caught but guesses the word: imposter +15 points.

First to 100 wins the night.

Popular variations

• Two imposters (7+ players). The imposters don't know each other — chaos guaranteed.
• Word guess. A caught imposter may steal the win by guessing the secret word.
• No-hint mode. The imposter doesn't even get the category. Brutal, hilarious.
• Question mode. Instead of clues, players answer a themed question; the imposter answers a slightly different one. Look up categories that fit your group.

Choosing good words

The word makes or breaks a round. Too obscure and crew players struggle; too simple and the imposter blends in effortlessly. Start with our curated word list, then graduate to hard words once your group gets sharp — or go for laughs with funny words.