How to play Loose Lips: forbidden words game rules and tips

Loose Lips is a forbidden words game: the card shows a word, and under it five words you’re not allowed to say. Get your team to guess the word, and if a banned word slips out, you lose a point. This guide covers the rules, scoring, how a turn plays out and the tricks good describers use.

Play Loose Lips

What is a forbidden words game and how is it set up?

The forbidden words game is a party classic: one person describes, their team guesses. The twist is the list of banned words on each card. You have to describe Fridge without saying “cold”, “kitchen”, “food”, “door” or “freeze”.

Loose Lips is played side by side on one phone. You need at least 4 people split into two teams, and up to 20 can play. No cards, no sand timer, no score sheet: the phone handles all of it.

Before you start you pick three things: team names (Reds and Blues by default), turn length (45, 60 or 90 seconds) and the target score (10, 20 or 30). The game randomly decides which team goes first.

Forbidden words game rules

Someone from the team that’s up describes and holds the phone. Someone from the other team sits beside them watching the screen: that’s the checker.
The describer only explains to their own team. The other team doesn’t guess, they just listen for banned words.
You can’t say any of the five banned words, the word itself or any part of it. On the Clockwork card, “clock” and “work” are banned too, even though they’re not on the list.
No gestures, no sound effects, no letter hints like “it starts with…” and no saying it in another language. Words only.
Your team guesses it: Got it, +1 point. A banned word slips out: Banned, −1 point. A pass doesn’t change the score, but you only get 3 per turn. Each of these brings up a new card.
When time runs out, the phone goes to the other team. Swap describers every turn so everyone gets a go.

Scoring and winning

A turn’s score is the number of correct guesses minus the number of banned words. A team with 7 correct, 2 banned and 1 pass scores +5 for that turn. Too many slips and a turn can even end in the negative.

Both teams always play the same number of turns, so the game only checks for a winner after the second team’s turn. If either team has reached the target, the higher score wins; if the scores are level, you play another round.

So even if the first team hits the target, the other team still gets one more turn to catch up. In a rematch, the losing team goes first.

A turn, step by step

The screen says “Up next: Blues”. The Blues describer takes the phone and a Red sits next to them.
Tap “We’re ready, go!” and the clock starts. The card: Umbrella. Banned: rain, wet, open, handle, cover.
The describer: “You keep it in your bag on a grey day, hold it over your head, and the wind flips it inside out.” Someone shouts “Umbrella!”, Got it is tapped and the next card appears.
On the next card a banned word slips out. The checker taps Banned!, the card changes and the turn score drops by 1.
A really tough card comes up, so Pass is tapped; the number on the button shows how many passes are left.
The timer turns red for the last 10 seconds and ticks for the last 5. When time’s up you see every card from the turn, then the phone goes to the other team.

Tips for describers

Read the banned list first. The easiest ways to describe the word are exactly the ones that are banned, so start from a different angle.
Start with the category. “It’s a food”, “it’s a job” or “it’s something in your bathroom” points your team at the right shelf.
Use fill-in-the-blank. Start a well-known saying and let your team finish it: “An apple a day keeps the … away.”
Use opposites and comparisons. “The opposite of shy” or “like a horse, but striped” gets you there without touching the banned words.
Build on their guesses. “Close, but bigger” is faster than starting a whole new description.
Don’t get stuck. Twenty seconds on one card can cost you three easy ones. But you only have 3 passes, so try one more sentence first.
For guessers: shout out whatever comes to mind. Wrong guesses cost nothing, silence costs time.

The checker’s job and common mistakes

Hold the phone between you so the checker can see it. Tap Banned! the moment you hear a slip and save the arguing for later.
Saying part of the word: describing Toothbrush, “tooth” is banned even though only “teeth” is on the list. Parts of the word are the most common slip.
Word forms: if “freeze” is banned, “freezer” and “frozen” are close enough that most tables call them banned. The checker decides; the game doesn’t listen to what you say.
Gesturing without noticing: miming opening an umbrella counts as a gesture.
Tapping Got it too early: wait until your team says the exact word, not something close to it.

Where the forbidden words game comes from

Describing something without naming it is an old idea. Its best-known cousin is charades, where you can’t speak at all and act everything out. The forbidden words game flips that: gestures are banned and words are all you’ve got.

House rules vary: unlimited passes, a point to the other team for every slip, or letting the other team steal. On Stockboi you get 3 passes per turn, a banned word costs the describing team 1 point, and only the describer’s team guesses.

How to play Loose Lips on Stockboi

Tap Play on the game page and set up your teams. No download and no account, and no room or link either.
There’s no online mode and no computer opponent: the game is made for playing side by side on one phone.
Cards follow the site language. The English deck has nearly 800 cards written from scratch for Stockboi, each with 5 banned words, and it remembers its place on your phone, so no card repeats until you’ve seen them all.
The button at the top right pauses the timer and hides the card, so nobody can sneak a look. If the screen locks or you switch apps, the timer pauses on its own.
Keyboard works too: right arrow or Enter for Got it, down arrow for Pass, left arrow or Backspace for Banned, Space to pause and resume.
Team names and settings are saved on your phone. When a match ends, Rematch starts a new one with the same teams.

Frequently asked questions

How many people do you need for a forbidden words game?

At least 4, split into two teams. Loose Lips works on one phone for up to 20 players.

What happens if you say a banned word?

The checker taps Banned!, the describing team loses 1 point and a new card comes up. Saying the word itself or part of it counts too.

How many passes do you get?

On Stockboi you get 3 passes per turn. A pass doesn’t change the score, and the Pass button switches off once they’re used up.

How long is each turn?

45, 60 or 90 seconds, chosen before the game. The default is 60.

When does the game end?

Once both teams have played the same number of turns, if either has reached the target (10, 20 or 30), the higher score wins. If the scores are tied, you play another round.

Are gestures allowed?

No. Gestures, sound effects, letter hints and saying it in another language are all banned; you describe with words only.

Can you play Loose Lips online?

No, it’s played side by side on one phone. For friends who aren’t in the same room, try an online party game like Doodle Party.