Imposter Game Rules Explained

Updated 14 October 2026

The imposter game is easy to learn, but every group eventually hits the same arguments. Did she just say the word? What happens on a tie? Can two imposters vote for each other? This page is a short imposter game rules reference you can pull up mid-game, followed by common house rules and fair ways to settle disputes.

The rules in one minute

1. Deal. Every player secretly sees a word. Civilians share the same word. The imposter gets a different word (Undercover mode) or no word (Classic mode).
2. Clues. Starting from a random player, everyone gives one clue about their word without saying it.
3. Discuss. Talk it over. An optional timer can limit discussion to 1, 2, 3 or 5 minutes.
4. Vote. Everyone votes for who they think is the imposter. The most votes is out.
5. Reveal. If the imposter was caught and Last chance is on, they can guess the civilians' word to steal the win.
6. Score. Then play again with a new pair.

When the last-chance guess is checked by the app, the match is lenient: capital letters, spaces, punctuation, plurals and a single typo in a longer word do not count against you.

Setup and modes

Players and imposters

You need at least 3 players. In pass-the-phone mode up to 20 people share one phone; in online rooms up to 15 people each use their own phone. Imposter Game recommends 1 imposter for 3 to 7 players, 2 for 8 to 12, and 3 for 13 or more. You can change it.

Undercover mode (default)

The imposter gets a similar but different word and is not told they are the imposter. Example: civilians get "Pizza", the imposter gets "Burger". Everyone, including the imposter, starts out thinking they are a civilian.

Classic mode

The imposter is told "You are the IMPOSTER" and gets no word. You can optionally give them a small hint, such as "Fast food favourite".

Seeing your word

In pass-the-phone mode, each player taps "I'm <name>", holds a card to see the word, and lets go to hide it before passing the phone. Strict mode makes each player set a personal PIN the first time they reveal, so nobody can peek at someone else's word.

Voting and scoring

Pass-the-phone groups can use a group vote (agree out loud and tap once) or a secret vote (each person votes privately on the passed phone). In online rooms everyone votes on their own phone. Scores carry across rounds, and "Play again" deals a new pair to the same players.

Common disputes and how to settle them

What counts as saying the word?

Agree on this before you start. A fair standard most groups use:

• Saying the word itself, or a plural of it, counts. "Pizzas" for Pizza is out.
• Saying a part of a compound word is usually fine if it is a common word on its own. "Ice" for Ice Cream is borderline, so decide in advance.
• Translations count. "Pomme" for Apple is just the word in disguise.
• Spelling it, rhyming it or "sounds like" clues count as saying it.

What happens if someone does say it? The simplest rule: a civilian who says the word gives the imposter a free, easy last-chance guess, so the group should just restart the round with "Play again". If the imposter says the civilians' word by accident, they have effectively guessed it, which is their problem to explain.

Ties

In Imposter Game a tie sends nobody out. With Keep playing on (the default), the host then decides between another clue round and a reveal, so a tie simply buys everyone more clues. If your group switches Keep playing off, a tie means the imposter escapes, which is a big advantage for the imposter in small groups. Some groups prefer a quick re-vote between the tied players instead; that is a fine house rule, as long as you agree on it first.

Multiple imposters

With 2 or 3 imposters, each imposter plays for themselves in Undercover mode, since none of them know their role. In Classic mode imposters know they are imposters, but not who the others are. Common questions:

• Do imposters get the same word? In Undercover, all imposters see the imposter word of the pair, so two imposters may notice they match each other but not the table.
• How many get voted out? One vote per round. Catching one imposter counts as a catch, so civilians get their point each, but any imposter who was not voted out still scores 2 for surviving.
• Can imposters accuse each other? Yes. Nothing stops it, and it is often a smart move.

For more on bigger groups, read imposter game ideas for large groups.

Clue too vague, or too long?

A clue should be one word or a short phrase. If someone gives a speech, ask them to cut it to one line. If someone says "it's a thing", they are allowed to, but they should expect to be voted out.

Popular house rules

• Two clue rounds. Go around twice before voting. More information for civilians, more pressure on the imposter.
• Question round. Each player asks the next player one question about their word, Spyfall-style. See our Spyfall alternative page.
• Loser writes a pair. An optional in-app rule (off by default) where the loser adds a new word pair to the game.
• No repeats. Nobody can reuse a clue that was already given, even a synonym.
• Kids' rules. Use the Kids (Easy) pack, no timer, and a group vote. See imposter game for kids.

Need the full walkthrough with every setting? Head to how to play.

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