Notes

"breakfast combo" :
One person picks a thing (relatively specific: "King Kong" or "trail mix" or "that necklace you are wearing" are all acceptable things. "babies" or "rocks" perhaps not so much). The other person guesses things (of similar specific-ness, i.e. you guess "Is it King Kong?" not "Is it large?" or "Is it yellow?").

The response patterns for the person with the thing are as so:
"It's more like X than anything you've guessed so far"
or "It's more like Y than X, but like X, Z"

Example:, you pick as a thing "sushi" and your gf guesses as her first guess "your bathroom." You say "It's more like my bathroom than anything I've heard so far." Then your gf guesses "a glue stick" at which point you have to decide whether sushi is more like your bathroom or a glue stick. Let's say you decide it's more like your bathroom. You then say "It's more like my bathroom than like a glue stick, but like a glue stick, it can fit in my hand." (otherwise you'd just say "It's more like a glue stick than anything I've heard so far") Sometimes the comparisons can get very tricky--no repeats and no cop-outs!


The "double letter" game :
The idea of this game is to say pairs of words, that are related in some way.
E.g. Apples and oranges (both fruit), Books and movies (both media), Tooth and mouth.. Etc.

HOWEVER... the first word, MUST CONTAIN double letters which are the same letter. E.g. in "apples" there are 2 letter p's and in "books" there are 2 letter o's. The following word can not contain double letters and it MUST be related to the first.


"Categories" :
You pick a category (bands, foods, celebrities, etc.) and then take turns coming up with examples. Each suggestion must begin with the last letter of the previous suggestion. For example, if you're playing with musicians, you might have Arcade Fire->Elvis Presley->Yeah Yeah Yeahs->Silverchair... Whoever comes up with a suggestion that the other person can't follow, wins. Decide ahead of time whether to count "the"s, etc. and whether people have a time limit. More specific categories lead to quicker wins, but slower play if you don't have a time limit imposed.

(Varriation)

The Connection Game :

The object is to connect names of novels, movies, T. V. shows, comics, rock bands, famous people, etc. by last word- first word. The tough part is the speaker has to say all the connections named thus far before giving his answer.

Example: Michael Jackson -- Jackson Brown -- Brown-Eyed Girl -- Girls Gone Wild -- Wild Kingdom

The next person would have the option of connecting from either end, Something Michael or Kingdom Something.


The "Illusions" game:
One person comes up with a situation of something (anything), and then you take turns back and forth naming books or movies or songs wherein that occurred. So, for example "a whale." Then you could say (spoiler alert!) Moby Dick, or the Squid & the Whale, or Free Willy, etc. etc. or "suicide", or "baseball."

You have one challenge per round and if you think the other person is lying, you can challenge them and they have to explain the situation in which the thing occurred; or you could challenge once per round to name the author/director of the book/movie).


"European Argument" :
It can be played with any word concept, but it's always more fun when using a pretentious vaguely European accent.
It starts like this:

Player 1: We are a trio!
Player 2: We are not a trio, we are a triad!
Player 3: We are not a triad, we are a clique!
Player 1: We are not a clique, we are a gang!
Player 2: We are not a gang, we are a syndicate!
Player 3: We are not a syndicate, we are a ...

It just goes on and on, and can be picked up instantly when someone says a definitive statement.



Are you this or that? :
You just say are you this or are you that.

You ask "Are you a butterfly or a bumblebee?" - they have to answer with what they feels they are, not what they want to be or thinks other people think they are. So they might say they're a bumblebee because they sting but it's not fatal, and overall they're cute and useful.

After they answer, then you have to answer the question too, then it's their turn. Then they might say "Are you a Redwood or a Sycamore?" And you might say a Sycamore because you love being by the water and you're pasty white, etc. Then they have to answer that same question.


"One, Two, Three."

You and your partner each think of a word or phrase -- typically a noun, but it doesn't have to be. Ready? Count to three together, then say your words at the same time.

Now you each have to think of a new word or phrase that somehow relates to both of the words just used. Quickly now! The first person to make the connection calls "one." The second person, when ready, calls "two." Then you both call "three" together and blurt out the new words.

Repeat until you both say the same word at the same time.

Simple example of play:
Player one Player two
ants Communism
workers red
firefighters firefighters
[High-fives.]


JUST A MINUTE :
This is based on the venerable BBC quiz show.

Someone comes up with a topic, and then the first player has to make a speech about the topic. The goal is to try to talk for one minute straight about it. You're out if you hesitate, deviate or repeat words (other than simple words like "the" and "and").

Here are some examples, in which the topic is "ice cream."

Player 1: For as long as I can remember, I've always loved ice cream. My favorite flavor is ... um ... vanilla and...

Player 2: OUT!!! Hesitation!

[Player 2 now takes over. If player 1 managed to talk for 20 seconds, Player 2 now gets to try for the rest of the minute (50 seconds). At the end of a round, the player with the most seconds wins that round. Players get to take over the topic if they spot a mistake in someone else's speech.]

Player 2: I used to go to this ice cream store with my dad, and there was this guy who worked in the store on weekends who...

Player 3: OUT!!! Repetition of the word "store"!

[Player 3 now takes over, but there's only 15 seconds of the minute left...]

Player 3: I like to put whipped cream on the top of my ice cream. And cherries. But I hate nuts. Well, I do like cashews. My grandmother used to have this bowl of cashews...

Player 2: OUT!!! Deviation: he's speaking about nuts instead of ice cream!

[It works well if you have a judge who can arbitrate (Player 3 might not agree that he deviated). Or you can vote.


Coffeepot :
(May be missing rules, but this is the general idea)

One person thinks of a verb. The other person starts asking questions to narrow down what that verb might be. However, all questions must include the word "coffeepot" to describe how the verb might be used. Example : I pick my coffeepot as "to run." My opponent might then ask, "Can I coffeepot at school?" And I would say ... yes. "Is coffeepotting rewarded?" And I would say ... depends. Etc.