20 Questions in a minute
20 Questions is the guessing game where one player thinks of something and everyone else has twenty yes-or-no questions to work out what it is. It needs nothing but a few people, so it travels well to car journeys, dinner tables and video calls. Sharp questioners can crack it in a handful of questions. A clever subject can hold out to the very last one.
How to play 20 Questions
You need at least two people: a keeper who knows the secret and one or more askers. In a group, the askers can take turns or simply call out questions as they think of them.
- Pick a secret. The keeper thinks of a person, place, animal or thing and keeps it to themselves. Some groups write it down first so nobody can change their mind halfway.
- Give a starting clue. Many groups open by saying whether it is animal, vegetable or mineral. Others just say person, place or thing.
- Ask yes-or-no questions. Askers ask one question at a time that can be answered yes or no, and the keeper answers honestly. "Sometimes" or "I'm not sure" is fine when a plain yes or no would mislead.
- Count every question. Someone keeps a tally out loud. When it reaches 20, the questioning stops.
- Guess when you are ready. Any asker can name the answer at any point. In most house rules a wrong guess counts as one of the twenty.
- Win or reveal. A correct guess wins the round for the askers. If 20 questions go by without the answer, the keeper wins and reveals the secret. The winner often becomes the next keeper.
Animal, vegetable or mineral
- Animal: any living creature, and often things made from one, like a leather boot or a wool jumper.
- Vegetable: plants and anything made from them, such as paper, cotton or a wooden spoon.
- Mineral: everything that was never alive, like rocks, metal, glass and plastic.
- Some things belong to two groups. The keeper can answer "both" or name the main material.
See 20 Questions on your phone
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Keep the secret -
Ask and guess -
Cracked it
Playing 20 Questions online
In the online room, one player is the keeper each round, and the room hands them a secret subject on their own screen. Nobody has to think one up. Everyone else sees only the category, such as Animals or Places. Askers say their questions out loud or type them into the room, and the keeper taps Yes, No or Maybe. Each answer ticks the counter one step closer to 20.
When someone thinks they know it, they type a guess and the keeper marks it right or wrong. A correct guess scores the guesser a point and ends the round. If the 20th answer comes first, the keeper scores the point instead. A wrong guess does not use up a question, and it stays on screen so nobody repeats it. Rooms take 2 to 8 players, a match lasts 2, 4 or 6 rounds, and the keeper role moves to the next player each round. Subjects come from animals, objects, food and drink, places, or a mix of all four.
If you are sitting together, ask out loud and let the keeper tap the answers. If you are apart, turn on the built-in video call, or keep your usual FaceTime or Zoom call running and share the room link.
Tips and house rules
- Start broad. Questions like "Is it alive?" or "Is it bigger than a microwave?" cut the possibilities roughly in half.
- Listen to everyone's questions. Each answer is a clue for the whole group, whoever asked.
- Keepers, pick something everyone in the group has heard of. An obscure subject is no fun for anyone.
- For younger players, stick to animals or things around the house, and allow 30 questions.
- For a harder game, drop the starting clue or cut the limit to 15.
- In a big group, split into two teams that take turns asking, with ten questions each.
Subject ideas to get you started
- Easy: a giraffe, a teapot, a snowman, a school bus.
- Medium: a submarine, a cactus, a hot air balloon, the Moon.
- Hard: a fingerprint, the Eiffel Tower, a rainbow, an echo.
20 Questions FAQ
How do you play 20 Questions?
One player thinks of something secret. The others ask up to 20 yes-or-no questions to work out what it is. If someone names it within 20 questions the askers win. If nobody does, the keeper wins.
How many people can play 20 Questions?
Two is enough: one keeper and one asker. In person there is no real upper limit, though big groups often split into teams. The online room takes 2 to 8 players.
What are good questions to ask in 20 Questions?
Ask questions that split the options in half. "Is it alive?", "Would I find it indoors?" and "Can you eat it?" each rule out a lot at once. Save specific guesses until you have narrowed it down.
Does a wrong guess count as a question?
In most house rules it does, so agree before you start. In the online room a wrong guess does not use up a question, and every wrong guess stays visible to the group.
Can you play 20 Questions on Zoom or FaceTime?
Yes. Keep your call running and share the room link, or use the video call built into the room. The secret only appears on the keeper's screen.
Is it free to play 20 Questions online?
Yes. The room is free in any browser, with no app to download and no account to create.
