Taboo

What You Need

• A Taboo set. The box holds the cards (504 in the classic edition, fewer in newer ones), a card holder, a buzzer, a one-minute timer, and a scorepad.
• Two AA batteries for the buzzer. Test it first.
• Two players, or two teams.

Setup

1. Load the cards into the holder with the green side down. Play the green side first. Flip the deck to purple when you finish it.
2. Put the buzzer and the timer where both players can reach them.
3. Decide who gives clues first. That player sits facing the card holder.
4. The other player sits beside or behind the clue-giver, holds the buzzer, and can see every card.

How a Turn Works

1. The clue-giver draws a card and stands it in the holder. The word at the top is the Guess Word. The five words under it are the Taboo words.
2. Flip the timer. The clue-giver starts talking right away.
3. Clues can be full sentences, short phrases, or single words. Say anything you like as long as it does not break the clue rules below.
4. The guesser shouts guesses. Wrong guesses cost nothing.
5. On a correct guess, leave the card standing in the holder and draw the next one.
6. Keep going until the sand runs out. The buzzer holder watches the timer and calls time.

Clue Rules

• Never say the Guess Word or any Taboo word.
• Never say any part or form of a word on the card. For PAYMENT, "pay" is out. For SPACESHIP, "space" and "ship" are both out.
• No gestures. No pointing at your nose for BEAK. No finger guns for SHOOT.
• No sound effects. Engine noises and explosions are out. Singing real words is allowed.
• Never say "sounds like" or "rhymes with".
• No initials or abbreviations that stand for a card word. MD is out for DOCTOR. TV is out for TELEVISION.

The Buzzer

The player holding the buzzer watches the cards. Hit the buzzer the moment the clue-giver breaks a rule. Say which word or rule killed the card. The clue-giver moves that card to the discard pile and draws a new one. Be strict. A soft buzzer makes the game boring.

Passing

The clue-giver can pass on any card. Move it to the discard pile and draw again. A pass costs the same as a buzz, so pass only on a card you truly cannot crack.

Scoring

• Each card left standing in the holder scores 1 point for the clue-giver's side.
• Each card in the discard pile, buzzed or passed, scores 1 point for the opponent.
• A card still in progress when time runs out scores nothing for anyone.
• Write both scores on the pad after every turn, then clear the holder and the discard pile.

Winning

Play an equal number of turns as clue-giver. Highest total wins. On a tie, each side plays one more turn and the higher single turn wins.

Two-Player Notes

The official rules call for four or more players, but two works with one change. There is no team. One player gives clues. The other guesses and holds the buzzer at the same time. Discarded cards score for the guesser, which keeps the buzzer honest. Agree on a fixed number of turns each before you start. Five turns each is a good game and takes about 15 minutes.

Strategy Tips

• Lead with the category. "It is a kind of restaurant" gets a guesser to DELI faster than a list of foods.
• Read all five Taboo words before you open your mouth. Many buzzes come from a Taboo word the clue-giver never read.
• If the guesser is stuck after 10 seconds, pass. One lost point beats a lost minute.

Variations

• Shorter timer. Thirty seconds makes people talk faster and pass sooner.
• No passing. Every card must be won or buzzed. Brutal, and funnier.