Skip to content

Time's Up — three rounds, same words, escalating difficulty

Three rounds. Same words. Describe, hint, then mime.

Players
4–12 players
Duration
20–30 min

Time's Up — same words, three escalating rounds

What is Time's Up?

Time's Up is a team-based word game played in three escalating rounds with the same word list. Round one, you can say anything except the word. Round two, you get one word. Round three, charades. Same words each round, so the game tests memory as much as cleverness.

It's the best 'one more round' game in the catalog. Every group asks for a second pass.

How to play

  1. 1Form two teams. Pick a category (people, things, actions, or mixed) and a round length (30, 45, or 60 seconds). The same word list runs across all three rounds.
  2. 2Round 1: Describe. Your team has to guess as many words as possible before the timer runs out. You can say anything except the word.
  3. 3Round 2: One word. Same word list, but you only get a single-word clue. Your team's memory is doing half the work now.
  4. 4Round 3: Charades. No words. Just mime. The same words you've been arguing over for two rounds. Pure chaos.

FAQ

How many players for Time's Up?

Four minimum (two teams of two). Six to eight is ideal. Up to twelve works if your teams are extroverted.

How long is a game?

Twenty to thirty minutes. Three rounds, twelve to twenty words per round depending on group size and round length.

How many words per round?

Twelve to twenty depending on team count and timer length. The same words carry across all three rounds — that's where the memory pressure comes from.