Just One

How do you win?

Correctly guess the Mystery Word on your card using the clue words given by your teammates.

How do you play?

The active player draws a card and, without looking at it, picks a number between one and five, indicating the Mystery Word they have chosen. The other players are shown the list of five words on the card. Each player must think of a one-word clue to the chosen Mystery Word and write it on their mini whiteboard.

The players must not communicate while brainstorming their clue words. A few rules also apply to the clue words; players can’t just write the Mystery Word in a different language, or spelt oddly. You cannot invent fake words, use words which contain a part of the Mystery Word or use words which are phonetically identical, even if the meaning is different. So for a Mystery Word of ‘Panda’ you couldn’t have a clue word of ‘Pander,’ and for ‘Actor’ you couldn’t use ‘Actress’ or ‘Hollywooding.’

Once all players have a clue word prepared, the active player looks away while the others compare their clues. If any players have written the same clue, then each of them must rub out their clue. The active player then opens their eyes – hoping to see a full house of clues –  and tries to guess the Mystery Word from the clue words in front of them. The player only has one guess – the pressure’s on!

The active player role then moves clockwise.

Why play it?

Just One is a fun co-op party game that packs a lot of punch for such a simple set of rules. Like other word-based games, the replayability comes from the English language rather than a fat rule book! It’s a great game to bring out to convince the uninitiated that there is more to the board game universe than just a tediously long game of Monopoly.

There is a lot of fun in devising a clue word. You’ll be carefully treading the line between taking a gamble on an obvious clue – one that’s so obvious your neighbour may well go for it too – and opting for an ingenious niche word; a tactic that may pay off if it’s accompanied by more run-of-the-mill clue words, but may lead the active player astray if they aren’t on the same wavelength.

Guessing the mystery word as the active player can actually get quite tricky, but it is achievable. Remember that, as you haven’t seen the list of words, the clues must guide your thinking – which can be a problem when only one whiteboard makes the cut! This will be when your educated guesses become more of a stab in the dark…

If you are keen, there is a more detailed scorekeeping mechanic, but we usually find it a bit unnecessary, with enough enjoyment to be had from just playing the game for the fun of it. Perfect for a quick 10 minutes between longer games or a little longer after a dinner party.

Verdict?

It’s one of those unique games that’s so simple you feel like it must have been around for ages, or you wonder why you didn’t come up with it yourself – but it was only created in 2018!

An excellent co-op word game to bring along to larger groups that should keep everyone entertained.