Unplug Play

Each player makes a list of all the players in the game with room next to each player’s name to write a number.

One player writes numbers 1 through 25 on slips of paper and place them in a hat. Each player picks a number out of the hat without showing anyone the number he or she picked.

Each player must now think of a clue to help the other players decipher his number. Once every player decides on the clue he or she is going to present, play begins.

Players must come up with a clue they think most—but not all—players in the game will figure out and must guess all numbers correctly to unlock the safe and receive important bonus points.

Player 1 goes first and gives a clue about his number. All players write down their guesses next to Player 1’s name on their sheet, and then Player 2 gives her clue. Play continues this way until all players have given a clue for their number and everyone has a guess for every player.

TIP: Your code can be anything! Say the number in another language. Come up with a math equation and say it relatively fast so most will get it but at least one person will miss it. Say a famous athlete who wore that number on his or her jersey. Or perhaps don’t use any words at all and scratch your head twenty-four times. Use any method you can think of to get at least one of the players to figure out your number (hopefully several) and to fool at least one player.

Once the final player presents the clue for his or her number and all guesses are written down, players reveal their actual numbers one at a time and scores are tallied.

Players earn 20 points for each number they guess correctly. Players also earn 10 points for each player who guesses their number correctly. However, if EVERYONE in the game guesses a player’s number correctly, that player LOSES 10 points per player in the game. And if no one guesses that player’s number correctly, he or she also loses 10 points per player in the game!

Let’s say Player 1’s number is 24. His clue might be “The letter X.” Everyone then writes down their guesses next to Player 1’s name. Then Player 2 presents her clue to the group. Let’s say her number is 11 and her clue is “The number of players on the field at one time for each team in football.” The other players write down their guesses next to Player 2’s name, and so on.

Most people in the group may figure out that the letter X is the 24th letter of the alphabet, and if EVERYONE gets it right, Player 1 loses 10 points per player in the game! If there are a total of 6 players in the game (including Player 1), Player 1 would lose 60 points while everyone else receives 20 points each! Player 2’s clue was tougher, though, and if two of the six players could not guess the number (maybe because they don’t know anything about football), she would earn 30 points (10 for each of the players who guessed correctly).

After all numbers are revealed for every player and points are tallied, bonus points are awarded to every player who guessed every number right and holds the answer to the safe combination! The number of bonus points players receive is equivalent to 10 times the number of players in the game.

For example, in a game of six players, if three players guessed Player 1’s number correctly, he’d earn 30 points (10 X 3). If Player 1 guessed correctly on all five of the other player’s numbers, he’d earn 100 points (20 X 5). In addition, Player 1 would earn 60 bonus points (10 X 6 players in the game). Player 1’s grand total would be 190 points.