Alias for two players: make every round count.

Choose one category and one round length before you begin. Player A explains while Player B guesses; in the next round they swap. After an even number of rounds, compare the points each person earned as the guesser. Equal categories, time and turn count make the result easy to understand.

If the app asks for teams, create one team for each player. Add one name to each team and let the normal turn prompts keep the order. Set a reachable target such as 15 or 20 points so the match ends while the clues still feel fresh.

• Use the same word category for both sides.
• Play an even number of rounds.
• Count points earned while guessing, not explaining.
• Resolve skipped words with one rule for the whole match.

A 45-second round is a strong starting point because one person must supply every guess. Move to 60 seconds if the category is unfamiliar or either player is still learning the clue rules. Keep the skip penalty off during the first game; two-player rounds already lose momentum when a word is skipped.

The common-last-word option is designed for competing teams, so it adds little here. The useful controls are the timer, target score and category. Change only one setting between matches so you can tell what actually improved the game.

For a cooperative game, ignore individual scores and add every correct answer to one shared total. Play six rounds and record the result. The next match becomes a clear challenge: can the pair beat the same deck and timer without bending the clue rules?

For language practice, select a familiar category and require clues in the language being learned. The guess may be spoken in either language for the first match, then only in the target language once both players are comfortable.

• Shared score: beat your previous six-round total.
• No-skip challenge: finish a match without passing a word.
• One-clue mode: only one sentence per word.
• Reverse match: use descriptions instead of dictionary-style definitions.

Do not let one difficult round decide the whole match. Use at least four turns per person, and restart a round only for a genuine interruption. When a clue accidentally contains the answer or its root, mark that word as skipped and continue instead of debating the point.

Most importantly, match the deck to the relationship. Shared interests produce vivid clues; a category known by only one person turns the match into a knowledge test instead of a word game.