Questions that catch the imposter without giving away the word

Most groups stall after the clue round. Everyone has said a word, everyone looks a little suspicious, and then comes five minutes of going in circles. A single well placed question can settle the round. The trick is to ask something only a person who knows the word can answer well, without the question itself handing the word to the impostor.

Three rules for a good question

1. 1Never include the category. Ask whether it is an animal and you have just given the impostor half the answer.
2. 2Ask about feelings or relationships, not facts. Anyone can bluff a fact. Bluffing how you feel about something is much harder.
3. 3Keep it short. If the question runs longer than two sentences, the impostor has time to work out what to listen for.

Questions that almost always work

1. 1Have you ever had a bad experience with it?
2. 2If it disappeared tomorrow, how much would you miss it?
3. 3Who would you buy this for as a present?
4. 4Is it more of a summer thing or a winter thing for you?
5. 5Which room in the house does it belong in?
6. 6Would your grandmother know what it is?
7. 7How much would you pay for it if you had to?
8. 8Do you think about it more in the morning or in the evening?
9. 9If it were a person, what job would it have?
10. 10Have you owned one, or just seen one?

Questions for a suspect

Aim these at one specific player once the first round is over. The goal is not a confession. The goal is to make them either get more specific or slip.

1. 1Why did you pick that clue and not the obvious one?
2. 2What would your second clue be?
3. 3Who do you suspect, and which exact word made you suspicious?
4. 4How good was my clue, honestly?
5. 5If you were the impostor, what would you have said?
6. 6Which clue so far was the least useful, and why?
7. 7On a scale of one to ten, how sure are you about your suspect?
8. 8Why did you wait until third to give your clue?

Let the app handle the rest

The impostor party game times the discussion and runs the vote, so all you have to think about is your questions. Free, and it works offline.

Impostor Party Game

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Funny questions for relaxed rounds

When the laughs matter more than the win. These still expose the impostor, just more entertainingly.

1. 1What would your mum say about it?
2. 2Is it acceptable on a first date?
3. 3If it were a ringtone, what would it sound like?
4. 4Which of our friends would it be if it were a person?
5. 5Would it fit in a backpack?
6. 6What does it smell like?
7. 7Instagram it or hide it?
8. 8Would it appear in a comedy or a horror film?
9. 9Which season is it worst in?
10. 10If it were a school subject, what grade would you get?

Questions you should never ask

• Is it alive? That gives away the category, and from there the impostor can aim every clue.
• Can you eat it? Same mistake, just for food.
• How many letters does it have? That is not a question, it is a confession.
• Are you the impostor? Everyone says no and you learn nothing.
• Anything that contains part of the word. If the word is Airport, do not ask about travel.

How to read the answers

• An answer that comes too fast was prepared. One that comes too slowly is being calculated.
• Impostors love answering a question with a question. Notice it when it happens.
• Specific details are a good sign. People who know the word bring a story. People who do not, stay general.
• Someone who agrees with everybody is buying time. Someone who suspects everybody is creating a distraction.

More tactics for both sides are in our imposter game tips, and the basics are in how to play imposter.