| Name of Game | Fictionary |
| Type | thinking |
| Age Range | 7-adult |
| Number of Players | 4-20 |
| Playing Environments | anywhere quiet |
| Shared Equipment | dictionary |
| Individual Equipment | pen or pencil, paper |
| Summary | One player, "the reader," chooses from a dictionary a word that none of the other players can even begin to define. The reader tells the others how the word is spelled, then each of them writes down an invented definition, with the intent to fool other players into thinking it's the real definition.
The reader writes the true definition on paper, collects all of the fake definitions, then reads each definition to the group, including the real one. Each member of the group then votes for the one definition she thinks is the real one. |
| Rules | A player gets one point for each person who votes for her fake definition and one point for guessing the real definition. The reader does not collect points, but this evens out as each player takes a turn being the reader. |
| Comments | The reader should not copy the dictionary definition exactly, but should make it sound more like what one of the players might write.
To make reading as smooth and consistent as possible, the reader should go through the definitions once before reading them out loud and correct any glaring errors that would give one away, especially for younger or less literate players. The pieces of paper should be as identical as possible or be kept hidden from the players as they are read. |