How to Play Dumb Charades
Dumb Charades is simple: one player acts out a secret word or phrase without speaking, and everyone else guesses before the timer ends. On ActNGuess, you play together in real time, but scoring is individual— each player submits their own guess and earns points personally.
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ActNGuess format (recommended)
ActNGuess is designed around a simple flow: one actor, everyone else guesses, and winners are based on individual scores. It feels social because you’re all playing the same round together, but it stays fair because every player submits their own answer.
- One player acts while the others watch.
- No speaking for the actor: gestures, mime, and expressions only.
- Everyone guesses individually: players can talk and collaborate, but each person submits their own guess.
- Individual scoring: correct guesses earn points for the player who guessed it.
- Rotate turns so everyone gets a chance to act.
Classic team formats (optional)
If you want a traditional team-vs-team vibe, you can still play Dumb Charades in teams. These formats are great for in-person parties or large calls where you want fewer people talking at once.
2 teams (best for 4–12 people)
- Alternate turns: Team A acts, Team B acts.
- Play 2–3 rounds per person depending on time.
- Use a “pass” rule: each team gets 1 pass per round, so no one gets stuck.
3+ teams (best for 12–30 people)
- Cycle turns: A → B → C → A…
- Keep turns shorter (45–60 seconds) to reduce waiting.
- Use “steal” rules: if a team fails, the next team gets one quick guess for half a point.
Time-based rounds (recommended)
Timeboxing keeps momentum high. Most groups do best with 60–90 seconds per word. If you want more difficulty, use 45–60 seconds and slightly harder prompts. If you want more inclusion, use 90 seconds and easier lists.
- Round 1: easy prompts (objects/actions) to warm up.
- Round 2: movies/phrases (more challenging).
- Round 3: “office-safe” prompts or “no hands” mode for fun constraints.
Remote-friendly rules (Zoom / Meet / Teams)
For remote play, the easiest setup is the ActNGuess style: one person acts, everyone else guesses, and scoring stays individual. It keeps the game social (people can talk and react live) while still being fair (each player submits their own guess).
- Actor spotlight: pin/spotlight the actor’s video so everyone can see clearly.
- Guess out loud + submit individually: players can talk, suggest ideas, and “feed” the answer to each other—then each person submits their own final guess.
- Actor muted: keep the actor muted to avoid accidental hints; guessers can stay unmuted for lively collaboration.
- Large calls: if you have 20+ people, you can still keep it smooth by asking people to avoid talking over each other, or (optionally) appointing one “caller” who repeats the loudest guess.
How ActNGuess helps
Dumb Charades is a category. ActNGuess is the best way to play it online—built for real-time multiplayer rounds so you spend less time organizing and more time laughing. It’s 0 setup, automatically switches turns, includes multiple prompt categories, and handles the timer + individual scoring—a game experience you can’t get from plain Zoom/Meet/Teams alone.