Similar Words: Rules for the Related-Word Imposter Game

What you need and how to start

Bring 3-12 friends. Select Similar Words, choose local play on one device or online play in a private room, then pick the available pack and clue-round settings. The browser game is free and account-free. Remote groups need a separate call for discussion.

Read your word privately, hide it and acknowledge the card. Do not assume your word belongs to the majority. The point of this variant is to work out whether your understanding matches the group while everyone protects their word.

Example: Coffee and Tea

Imagine most players receive “Coffee” and one receives “Tea.” Clues such as “warm,” “morning” and “cup” could fit both words. A clue like “espresso” strongly suggests coffee, but it also reveals a lot to the player holding tea. The challenge is choosing clues that are informative without being a direct giveaway.

When a clue seems odd, think about whether it points to a related concept rather than accusing immediately. Someone holding tea may notice the difference and start adapting. Someone holding coffee may simply have a different habit from the rest of the group. The game randomizes which side of a curated pair is the majority, so memorizing the first word of a pair is not a shortcut.

Clue rounds and discussion

Players give clues in the displayed order for 1-3 rounds. Locally, say the clues aloud. Online, each clue is typed, up to 80 characters, with 60 seconds per turn; expired turns are skipped. The first clue giver rotates on rematch.

After the clues, compare the connections and discuss who might have the other word. Do not reveal your card to prove your argument. If you realize your word may be the minority word, you still play for the imposter outcome and should avoid giving yourself away.

1. Everyone receives a word without a group label.
2. Take turns giving indirect clues.
3. Discuss clues that suggest a different but related word.
4. Use the vote to identify the one minority-word player.
5. Read the results, which reveal both words and the groups.

How voting and results work

More than half of all players must vote for the imposter. Catching the minority-word player wins immediately for the majority. A tie, no majority or accusing a majority-word player gives the imposter the win. With six players, three votes do not form a strict majority; four are needed.

There is no final word guess in Similar Words. The result reveals both words and the player groups, which helps everyone understand the clues after the round. Each winning player gets one point, and a rematch retains scores and deals a new assignment. Do not apply the final-guess rule from Spyfall or Secret Words to this variant.

Similar Words versus Secret Words

In Secret Words, the imposter receives no word and knows their role immediately. In Similar Words, everyone receives a word and no card identifies its group. Secret Words lets a caught imposter win with one final guess; Similar Words ends at the vote.

Choose Secret Words if your group likes someone knowingly bluffing from the beginning. Choose Similar Words if you enjoy discovering that an apparently reasonable clue came from a different word. Both use ordered clues and majority voting, but the information players start with changes the conversation.