Secret Number game
In “Secret Number”, everyone knows a number from 1 to 10 except one person. That person gives each other player a category, for example car brands. The answer fits the number: 1 is the worst, 10 the best. Then they guess the number. A correct guess scores a point, and the first to 3 wins. As a drinking game, a right guess hands out 4 sips and a wrong one drinks 4.
- Players
- 3 or more, best with 4 to 8
- You need
- nothing (cards, a die or a phone help)
- Length
- about 2 minutes per round
- Explained in
- under a minute
What you need
Nothing but yourselves. A deck of cards, a die or a phone is enough for the number. If all else fails, one person simply makes it up.
How do you play Secret Number?
Pick the guesser
One person guesses. They cover their eyes or turn away.
Draw the number
Everyone else looks at a number from 1 to 10 and remembers it. How to get a number without an app is explained below.
Collect hints
The guesser gives each player a category in turn. That player answers with something from the category that fits the number. 1 is the worst, 10 the best.
Number 9, category car brands: “Ferrari”. For a 2, more like “Lada”.
Guess and score
Once everyone has answered, the guesser names a number. A correct guess scores a point. Then the next person guesses. First to 3 points wins.
As a drinking game
Right: the guesser hands out 4 sips. Wrong: they drink 4.
Where does the number come from?
In the app, the phone draws the number. Without the app it works just as well, like this:
Playing cards
Take ace to 10 of one suit and shuffle them. One person draws a card and shows it to everyone except the guesser. The ace counts as 1.
A die
With a normal die you play from 1 to 6. That is easier because the steps are bigger. If you have a ten-sided die, use that.
Random number on a phone
Open a random number generator, set it to 1 to 10 and pass the result around. The guesser looks away meanwhile.
One person picks
One person thinks of the number and whispers it to the others. They give no hint that round. Lots of people pick 7. The mean ones pick 1.
An example round
Knirt guesses. The number is 3. Three friends give hints.
The number was 3. Knirt says 4 and gets nothing. As always.
Which categories work?
The best categories are the ones where everyone instantly has a ranking in mind. Here are 40 to get started.
Everyday
- Holiday spots
- Car brands
- Pets
- Jobs
- Places to live
- Ways to travel
- Weather
- Chores
- School subjects
- Train seats
Food and drink
- Pizza toppings
- Breakfasts
- TV snacks
- Desserts
- Vegetables
- Canteen food
- Drinks at the bar
- Things in the fridge
- Ice cream flavours
- Spreads
Party and people
- Excuses for being late
- First-date opening lines
- Party songs
- Birthday presents
- Reasons to leave early
- Dance moves
- 3 a.m. ideas
- Nicknames
- Group chat messages
- Excuses not to drink
Fantasy and film
- Superpowers
- Film genres
- Fairy-tale characters
- Time-travel destinations
- Mythical creatures
- Villains
- Kids’ shows
- Magic powers
- Robot jobs
- Holidays in space
What variants are there?
Points by distance. Spot on scores 3 points, one off still scores 1.
As a drinking game
The guesser drinks as many sips as they were off by. They say 6, the number was 9: 3 sips.
One player lies. While the guesser looks away, the group secretly picks one player to lie, for example by pointing. That player gives a deliberately wrong hint. At the end, the guesser names the number and who lied. Each correct answer is a point.
As a drinking game
If the liar is caught, they drink 4 sips. Otherwise the guesser drinks 4.
Teams. Two teams take turns guessing. The team talks it over, one person says the number. Every correct number is a point for the team.
As a drinking game
If the team guesses wrong, everyone on it drinks 2 sips.
Tips for good rounds
No numbers, no ratings. “Almost perfect” or “so-so” does not count. The answer has to be a thing from the category.
Choose categories smartly. If you want to dig deeper, pick the next category to close the gap. After “Ferrari”, “pizza topping” tells you more than “car brands” again.
Keep a poker face. Nobody gives the number away, not even with a grin. Whoever slips up gives the guesser a point.
As a drinking game
Whoever gives the number away drinks 2 sips.
How do you play Secret Number as a drinking game?
Swap points for sips. The rules are under the last step, the variants and the poker face tip, ready to expand. Always sips, never whole glasses.
“For physical health, it is best not to drink alcohol at all.”
According to the DHS there is no safe amount. Anyone who does not want to drink just keeps playing for points.
Frequently asked questions
How many people do you need for Secret Number?
At least 3: one person guesses, two give hints. It is most fun with four to eight.
Do you need cards or an app for Secret Number?
No. One person can pick the number. Playing cards, a die or a phone just make it fairer.
Can you play Secret Number as a drinking game?
Yes. A right guess hands out 4 sips, a wrong one drinks 4. More drinking rules are in the section on it.
Who chooses the categories?
The guesser. That way they can dig deeper when a hint was unclear.
Does Secret Number work on a video call?
Yes. One person sends the number by private message to everyone except the guesser.
By KnirtGames, the makers of the Knirt drinking game app. Updated:
Secret Number in the Knirt app
“Secret Number” is already built into the app. It draws the number, shows it to everyone except the guesser, says whose turn it is and works out the result. In the free Knirt game, “Secret Number” keeps popping up as a mini-game.
Just need a random number? The “Dice & Chance” tool is free in the app.
Coming soon to Google Play
More about the app