Two Truths and a Lie: 50 ideas and complete game rules to break the ice fast

Two Truths and a Lie is one of the easiest icebreakers to run. Whether you are meeting new colleagues, hosting a family gathering or catching up with friends on a video call, it gets people talking about themselves within minutes, and nobody needs any kit.

Below you will find the full rules for playing in person and online, five variations and 50 statement ideas to get you started. We play it in our own AhaSlides team calls, so the hosting tips come from what has worked for us.

Екі шындық пен өтірік деген не?

The rules are simple. Each player shares three statements about themselves: two true, one false. The other players guess which statement is the lie.

The game works with just two people, but it is more fun with a bigger group. It is also harder than it sounds. A meta-analysis of 206 papers by Бонд және ДеПауло (2006) found that people sort lies from truths correctly only about 54% of the time, barely better than a coin toss, so even a so-so lie has a decent chance of fooling the room.

Кеңес: keep every statement something the whole group would be comfortable hearing.

Variations of Two Truths and a Lie

There are plenty of ways to change the game without losing its spirit. These are the most popular:

• Two Lies and a Truth: the reverse of the original. Players share two false statements and one true one, and the group has to find the truth.
• Five Truths and a Lie: a harder version with more statements to weigh up.
• Who Said That?: everyone writes down their three statements anonymously, the host reads each set aloud, and the group guesses who wrote it before hunting for the lie.
• Celebrity edition: instead of talking about themselves, players share two real facts and one invented fact about a famous person.
• Сюжеттер: players tell three short stories, two true and one invented, and the group guesses which story is made up.

Looking for more ideas? Try our мұзжарғыш ойындары for groups, or our wider list of әңгімелесу ойындары.

When to play Two Truths and a Lie

Ол үшін жақсы жұмыс істейді:

• Team meetings with new members
• Training sessions that need an energising break
• Virtual meetings, to add some human connection
• Social gatherings where people don't know each other
• Family reunions, to learn surprising facts about relatives
• Classrooms, so students can get to know each other

The best moments to play are:

• At the start of an event, as a 10 to 15-minute icebreaker
• Midway through a meeting, to re-energise the group
• During casual social time, when the conversation needs a spark

Қалай ойнауға

Face-to-face version

Орнату (2 минут):

• Arrange chairs in a circle or gather around a table.
• Explain the rules and give everyone a minute to think of their statements.

геймплей:

1. A player shares three statements about themselves.
2. The group asks one or two clarifying questions.
3. Everyone votes on which statement they think is the lie.
4. The player reveals the answer and briefly explains the truths.
5. The next player takes their turn.

Scoring (optional): guessers get 1 point for each lie they spot, and the storyteller gets 1 point for each person they fool.

Virtual version

Орнату:

• Use your usual video call tool, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
• Use a polling tool such as AhaSlides for the voting, so everyone votes at once rather than talking over each other.
• Keep the same turn-taking structure.

Pro Кеңес: ask players to write their three statements before the call, then take turns reading them aloud for discussion.

In our own team sessions we put each player's statements on a poll. Everyone votes on their phone, and the reveal of how many people were fooled gets the biggest laugh of the round.

To keep turns fair in a bigger group, we spin a wheel of names to choose who goes next, which saves the awkward “who wants to go?” pause.

50 ideas for Two Truths and a Lie

Mix and match: take two statements that are true for you and one that isn't. Our picks are starred, because each one is believable enough to be either.

Табысқа жету үшін кеңестер

Writing good statements

• Make the lie ordinary: the best lies sound like everyday facts, and the best truths sound unlikely.
• Арнайы мәліметтерді пайдаланыңыз: “I've visited 12 countries” is more engaging than “I like to travel”.
• Match the tone: if your truths are dramatic, make your lie dramatic too, so it doesn't stand out.
• Тиісті түрде сақтаңыз: make sure every statement suits your audience.

For group leaders

• Негізгі ережелерді орнату: agree that all statements should be appropriate and respectful.
• Сұрақтарды көтермелеу: allow one or two clarifying questions per player.
• Уақытты басқару: keep each turn to two or three minutes.
• Позитивті болыңыз: focus on the interesting revelations rather than catching people out.

Жиі Қойылатын Сұрақтар

Ойын қанша уақытқа созылуы керек?

Plan for two to three minutes per person. For a group of ten, expect 20 to 30 minutes in total.

Бейтаныс адамдармен ойнай аламыз ба?

Yes. The game works especially well with people who don't know each other. Just remind everyone to keep their statements appropriate.

Топ тым үлкен болса ше?

Split into smaller groups of six to eight people, or use the Who Said That? variation, where people write statements anonymously and others guess the author. With a live poll, a large group can also vote on one person's statements at the same time.

How do you win Two Truths and a Lie?

As a guesser, you win by spotting the most lies. As the storyteller, you win by fooling the most people, so pick a lie that sounds ordinary and a truth that sounds unlikely.