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H625A2: Taboo (Game Rules) Taboo is a word guessing game. The objective of the game is to score the most points by guessing the most words correctly. Equipment: • A stack of cards with 5 taboo words and the word that has to be explained on one side of the card • An egg timer • Buzzer • Pencil and paper for scorekeeping Playing the game: Divide the players into two teams (A and B). Team A chooses one of their players to be the first Clue-giver. The Clue-giver has a pile of cards in front of him. Team B sit behind Team A’s Clue-giver so they can see the cards drawn. The rest of Team A sit facing their Clue-giver (they must not see the cards). Team B controls the timer and buzzer. They signal the start and turn the timer over. When the timer runs out the roles are reversed. Team B chooses a Clue-giver and players change places so that the other members of Team B sit opposite their Clue-giver. Team A has control of the buzzer and timer. Players in each team take turns as Clue-giver. Each team has turns to score points. The Clue-giver draws a card from the pile. Only the clue-giver and opposing team can see the card. The word at the top of the card is the Guess word. The words below are the Taboo words. The clue-giver must communicate the Guess word without using any of the words that appear on the card. As soon as the timer is turned over the Clue-giver draws a card and starts giving clues that will prompt his team to say the Guess word. Clues may be words, phrases or detailed sentences - but they cannot break any Rules for clues. As the Clue-giver gives clues, the team-mates shout words which they think might be the Guess word. There is no penalty for wrong guesses. Rules for clues The giver may not say a part of a "taboo" word; for example, using "base" in "baseball" is taboo. The giver may only use speech to prompt his or her teammates; gestures, sounds (e.g. barking), or drawings are not allowed. Singing is permitted, provided the singer is singing words rather than humming or whistling a tune. The giver's hints may not rhyme with a taboo word, or be an abbreviation of a taboo word. Scoring Once the team correctly guesses the word exactly as written on the card, the Clue-giver draws another card and continues giving clues - trying to get as many words as possible in the allotted time. The points scored are the number of words correctly guessed during the turn. Keep these cards in a pile and count to score points at the end of the turn. Keep a note of the tally on a score pad. Clue-givers lose points by getting buzzed (by other team members because the rules for clues have been broken) and by passing on the card. All lost cards should be kept in a separate pile and counted up at the end of the turn. The lost points are awarded to the opposing team. The first team to get 50 points wins.
