START IN A MINUTE
From download to first clue.
Alias guides the active team through every turn. Set the few choices that shape the match, then let the timer create the momentum.
- 01
Make the teams
Split the room into at least two teams. Add each player by name so the app can rotate who explains next.
- 02
Pick the words
Choose the mode or category that fits the group. Familiar topics make a relaxed game; broader decks raise the difficulty.
- 03
Set the game
Choose the points needed to win and the length of each round. Decide whether skipped words lose a point and whether everyone may guess the final word.
- 04
Hand over the phone
The app shows whose turn it is. That player faces their team, starts the timer and explains the word on screen.
- 05
Guess or skip
Mark a word as guessed when the team says it. Skip when the clue stalls, but remember that a skip can cost one point if the penalty is enabled.
- 06
Score and rotate
Review the round, confirm the last word if it was open to everyone, then pass the phone. The first team to the target score wins.
FAIR CLUES, FAST THINKING
Say anything—except the word.
The fun comes from finding a new route to the answer. Keep the clue useful without turning it into the answer itself.
Good ways to explain
- Describe what the thing does, where it appears or when people use it.
- Use synonyms, situations, comparisons and short examples that do not contain the answer.
- Rephrase quickly when the first clue is not working.
Not allowed
- Do not say the word itself, a part of it or a word built from the same root.
- Do not give a direct translation from another language.
- Do not quietly reveal the answer after a skip; keep the next clue fair.
EVERY WORD COUNTS
Scoring without the debate.
Confirm the result at the end of the round. Alias updates the rating and shows which team plays next.
Guessed word
Every word your team guesses adds one point.
Skipped word
A skipped word removes one point only when Skip penalty is turned on.
Winning team
The first team to reach the chosen target score wins the game.
MAKE IT YOUR GAME
Four settings change the pace.
Choose these before the match. For a first game, the defaults give the clearest version of Alias.
Points to win
Set the finish line for a quick match or a full game night. The default target is 50.
Round time
Choose how long one explainer has. The default is 60 seconds.
Skip penalty
When enabled, every skipped word subtracts one point from the active team.
Common last word
When enabled, every team can compete for the final word after time runs out.
WHEN THE CLOCK IS LOUD
Three habits of a great explainer.
Start broad
Name the category first: a place, action, person, object or feeling. Then narrow it down.
Change the angle
If a clue gets blank faces, switch from definition to situation, purpose or contrast.
Keep the rhythm
A fast, clear clue is better than a perfect speech. Skip only when the whole team is stuck.
READY TO PLAY?
Your first word is waiting.
Download Alias, make the teams and start the sixty-second timer.
