Who Am I?
Work out the name stuck to your own forehead — which everyone can see except you — by asking yes-or-no questions.
- Players 3–12 (best with 4–8)
- Play time 10–25 min
- Materials Paper and pen
- Movement Seated
Quick rules
- Everyone gets a name stuck to their forehead that they cannot see.
- On your turn, ask the table one yes-or-no question about who you are.
- A "yes" earns another question; a "no" passes the turn.
- Guess your name to finish. Play until everyone has.
Set up
- Each player secretly writes one name — a kind of person, an animal or a character everyone at the table knows — on a slip of paper and passes it face down to the player on their left.
- Without looking, each player holds the slip to their forehead, or sticks it there, so that everyone else can read it.
- Take a silent moment for everyone to read every other name. Then choose who asks first.
How to play
- On your turn, ask the whole table one question that can be answered "yes" or "no".
- The table answers together and truthfully. If the players disagree, the answer is "it depends" and you may ask again.
- After a "yes" you ask another question. After a "no" the turn passes to the left.
- A direct guess — "Am I a penguin?" — counts as a question. A wrong guess ends your turn.
- When you guess your name, take the slip off and keep playing as an answerer until everyone has finished.
How the game ends
The game ends when every player has named their slip, or after an agreed time — fifteen minutes suits most tables. Anyone still guessing may then ask each neighbour for one clue before the reveal.
Playing seated
Played seated by default. No step requires standing or moving.
Tips for the host
- Ask for names the youngest player would know. A name only half the table recognises spoils two people's game.
- Suggest a first question to anyone who is stuck — "Am I a person?" narrows things quickly.
- If one player is far behind, let the table offer a free clue after every third "no".
- When children are writing, check the slips before they go on — spelling and legibility matter here.
Variations
Themed round. Every name must fit one theme chosen beforehand — animals, jobs, characters from stories, things found in a kitchen. A theme makes the questions sharper and suits first-time players and mixed ages.
Mingle version. Nobody takes turns. Everyone walks around the room, asks each person they meet a single question and then moves on to someone new. It doubles as an icebreaker for guests who have not met.
Starter ideas: People
- a lighthouse keeper
- a firefighter
- a pastry chef
- an astronaut
- a librarian
- a lion tamer
Starter ideas: Animals
- a penguin
- a giraffe
- an octopus
- a hedgehog
- a flamingo
- a kangaroo
Times are editorial estimates, not test results. Editorially checked for clarity and consistency. We do not claim group playtesting for this page.