Guess Karo
A desi word game, just like Taboo, where you have to describe a prompt without using the three banned words on the card. It forces actual creativity, which means you cannot explain 'diya' by simply saying 'Diwali.'
Play:One person gives clues so their team guesses the word without saying the three banned words. Tap Correct / Wrong / Skip. 2-minute timer; highest total wins.
Game Setup
Two to six teams. One to ten rounds.
Teams (2-6)
Number of Rounds
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How to play Guess Karo
Split into two to six teams and pick how many rounds you want. One person holds the phone and gives clues out loud. Their own team guesses. Everyone else listens for a banned word, which is most of the fun of not being on that team.
The two minute turn. The clue-giver gets through as many cards as they can. Correct when the team says the word. Wrong when a banned word slips out. Skip to move on.
Scoring, including the part people miss. A correct card is one point. Three correct in a row adds a bonus point, and it keeps paying every third card after that. So a clue-giver on a run is worth far more than one working card by card. A wrong card costs a point and resets the streak. A skip costs nothing but locks the button for five seconds and also resets the streak, which is why skipping is not free.
Winning. Highest total after the last round. Teams alternate, so everyone gives clues the same number of times.
Settle these before the first turn
The clue-giver cannot say any part of the word, cannot spell it, and cannot use the three banned words in any form. Hindi, English or a mix is fine, and mixing is faster.
Gestures are the one rule rooms disagree on. Ban them and it is a harder, quieter game. Allow them and it becomes charades with talking. I would allow them, because half the cards are food and miming a shape beats describing one. Either way, decide before the first turn rather than during it.
Cards do not repeat for an hour, so a group can play several rounds without seeing the same word twice.
Guess Karo Rules and Questions
What is Guess Karo?
It's essentially Taboo, but with a word list built for a desi room. We swapped the standard American references for films, festivals, and household life, and banned the exact three words you'd instinctively reach for first.
How do you play?
One person describes the prompt without saying it or using the three banned words. Your team shouts answers. Tap Correct when they get it, Wrong if you accidentally drop a banned word, or Skip to pass. You get two minutes before handing the phone to the next team.
How does scoring work?
You get one point per correct card. Hit three in a row for a bonus point, and keep earning bonuses for every third card after that. A wrong answer loses a point and kills the streak. A skip scores zero, breaks the streak, and locks the button for five seconds. Highest score after the final round wins.
How many people do you need?
Four is the absolute minimum, two teams of two, but it peaks between six and sixteen. If you have more than sixteen people, add more teams instead of making them larger. A team of nine is just nine people yelling over each other.
Can you use gestures?
Strictly speaking, it's words only. But most rooms allow gestures because half the prompts are food, and miming a shape is much faster than describing it. Just establish the house rules before the first turn, not during an active dispute.
Do the words repeat?
Not for at least an hour. Used cards are temporarily held back, so if you play multiple rounds in one night, the prompts stay fresh.