Associations
The group picks one of their own, and the guesser has to work out who it is from everyone else's associations: which flower, which vehicle, which object.
The guesser goes out, the group chooses one of those remaining, the guesser comes back and starts asking: what flower does this person bring to mind, what vehicle, what season, what object in this room.
Everyone answers, each in their own way, and that is the game. A single answer means nothing: comparing somebody to a lorry may well be a joke. But when five people independently name something heavy, loud and dependable, the portrait assembles itself, and all that is left is to see which of those present it resembles.
It usually becomes clear not at once but on the fourth or fifth question — and almost always ends in an argument about who exactly gave the association that gave it away.
Rules of Associations
Setup
A is chosen, and leaves the room.
The rest agree on who to choose. Usually it is somebody currently in the room — but before play begins they may agree that mutual acquaintances count as well.
Questions
The guesser comes back and asks questions of the form "what flower does this person bring to mind?", "what vehicle?", "what animal?", "what object?".
Anything may be asked about: the range of categories is not limited, and inventing them is part of the guesser's work.
Answers
Every player answers each question in turn with their own .
They answer without conferring and without explaining why they chose it. Discussing or correcting somebody else's answer is not allowed: the guesser needs several independent opinions rather than one agreed one.
The chosen person, if they are in the room, answers along with everybody else — about themselves included.
Guessing
The guesser may name somebody at any point. They usually have two or three attempts; how many is agreed before the start.
Right, and the round is won. All the attempts spent, and the group names the person themselves.
The next round
Another player becomes the guesser, and it all begins again.
Worth knowing
Who may be chosen is for the group to settle: usually somebody in the room, though a small group may take a mutual acquaintance who is not there. The number of attempts is given variously, most often two or three. Who guesses next is laid down nowhere.
Glossary of terms
- An association
- An answer to the guesser's question: what the chosen person brings to that player's mind. No explanation is required.
- The guesser
- The player working it out. They leave the room while the others choose, and come back knowing nothing.