Charades in a minute
Charades is the acting game where one player mimes a secret word or title without speaking and everyone else races to guess it. It needs no board and no cards, which is why it has been a party staple for generations. You can play it around a table or over a video call.
How to play Charades
You need at least three people: one to act and two or more to guess. Larger groups often split into two teams and take turns, with each team guessing for its own actor.
- Write the words. Everyone writes a few films, books, songs, animals or actions on slips of paper and drops them in a bowl.
- The actor draws one in secret. Only the actor reads it. Nobody else may see the slip.
- Act it out without a sound. No talking, no mouthing words and no pointing at objects in the room that spell out the answer.
- The others shout guesses. Guessers call out as many answers as they like until someone gets it or time runs out. A minute per turn is common.
- Score and pass it on. A correct guess before time is up scores a point, then the next player takes a turn as the actor.
The classic hand signals
- Film: wind an old film camera beside your head.
- Book: open your hands like the pages of a book.
- Song: pretend to sing into a microphone.
- TV show: draw a rectangle in the air.
- Number of words: hold up that many fingers, then hold up a finger to show which word you are acting.
- Syllables: lay fingers on your forearm for the number of syllables.
- Sounds like: tug your earlobe, then act a word that rhymes.
- Close: wave the guesser on with both hands when they are nearly there.
See Charades on your phone
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Act out the word -
Shout your guess -
Score the point
Playing Charades online
Online, the room does the jobs that usually stop one person from playing. It deals the secret word to the actor's phone only, shows guessers the category, runs a 60-second timer and keeps score. Nobody has to write slips or watch the clock.
Rooms take 2 to 8 players (best with three or more), and a match lasts 4, 6 or 8 rounds with a new actor each round. The actor taps Got it when someone guesses right and scores a point. New word swaps a word that cannot be acted without ending the turn, and Pass gives up the turn with no points. Words come from animals, actions, movies and TV, objects and jobs, or a mix of all five.
If you are in the same room, guess out loud. If you are apart, turn on the built-in video call so everyone can see the actor, or keep your usual FaceTime or Zoom call running and share the room link.
Tips and house rules
- Act the whole idea first. Break a title into words only if the big picture is not landing.
- Use big, slow movements, especially on a video call where small gestures get lost.
- Agree on the signals before the first turn so nobody argues mid-round.
- For younger players, stick to animals and actions, and let the actor make sound effects.
- For a harder game, ban the word-count and syllable signals.
- Play in teams and keep a running total if you have more than six people.
Charades FAQ
How many people do you need for Charades?
Three is the minimum: one actor and at least two guessers. The online room takes up to 8 players. Bigger groups usually split into teams.
Can you talk in Charades?
No. The actor may not speak, mouth words or point at objects that give the answer away. Many groups allow sound effects for younger players as a house rule.
How long is each turn?
A minute is the usual limit. The online room runs a 60-second timer, and a turn that runs out scores no points.
Can you play Charades on Zoom or FaceTime?
Yes. Keep your call running and share the room link, or use the video call built into the room. The actor's word only appears on their own phone.
Who gets the point in Charades?
House rules vary. In team play the guessing team scores. In the online room the actor scores a point for every word their group guesses, so everyone wants to act clearly.
Is it free to play Charades online?
Yes. The room is free in any browser, with no app to download and no account to create.
