Guide
The imposter word game: what it is and how to play
What is the imposter word game?
The imposter word game is a social-deduction party game where everyone gets the same secret word except one player — the imposter — who doesn't know it and must blend in. Players take turns giving one-word clues about the word. The imposter improvises to fake it, and the group then discusses and votes for who they think the imposter is. It's also called Undercover, the secret word game, or "the game where one person doesn't know the word."
It's one of the simplest party games to learn and one of the hardest to stop playing. Here's the full rundown — and the easiest way to play it.
How do you play the imposter word game?
Pick a category and a secret word
Choose a category like animals, food, movies, or places, then a word within it (e.g. "pizza").
Hand out roles secretly
Everyone learns the word except one player — the imposter — who is told only that they're the imposter.
Give one-word clues
Going in turn, each player says a single word that hints at the secret word without naming it. The imposter bluffs a clue that sounds plausible.
Discuss and vote
After a round or two of clues, the group debates who's faking and votes.
Reveal and score
The imposter is revealed. The group scores for catching them; the imposter scores for surviving or for guessing the word.
What are the best categories?
Good categories are concrete enough to clue but broad enough to bluff. Popular ones:
- Animals — lion, dolphin, penguin
- Food — pizza, sushi, tacos
- Movies — Titanic, Shrek, Jaws
- Places — beach, airport, casino
- Professions — chef, pilot, dentist
You can scale difficulty: easy words are everyday and easy to clue; hard words (think "harpsichord" or "sousaphone") make even real players sweat.
What's the easiest way to play it?
The easiest way to play the imposter word game is with an app that deals roles and words for you — like Stunkelstein. Instead of writing slips of paper, everyone joins one game on their phone, gets their secret role privately, and the app runs the timer and vote. The hidden role is called the Stunk, and rounds take minutes.
Skip the paper slips
Stunkelstein is the imposter word game with roles, words, timers, and voting built in — free.
Frequently asked questions
What is the imposter word game called?
It goes by several names — the imposter word game, Undercover, the secret word game, or "the game where one person doesn't know the word." Stunkelstein is a branded version where the hidden role is the Stunk.
How many people do you need?
At least 4, and it works well up to about 20. More players make it harder for the imposter to blend in.
Is the imposter word game the same as Spyfall?
They're very close cousins. Spyfall uses locations and questions; the imposter word game uses a secret word and one-word clues. Both are about one hidden player faking it. See games like Spyfall.
Player Forum
What players say about Stunkelstein — feedback from our launch playtest
Best party game I've downloaded this year. Everyone was engaged within minutes.
Beautiful design, smooth gameplay, and the drinking mode is honestly brilliant. Highly recommend.
Perfect icebreaker. Played with friends who had never met before and everyone had an amazing time.
The new drinking feature completely changes the energy of the game. Fantastic update.
Simple to set up and incredibly addictive. We ended up playing for three hours.
One of those rare games where everyone stays involved the whole time.