Rules for Two Truths and a Lie (With 50 Example Lies)

• List 2 statements about yourself that are truthful and 1 statement that’s a lie. Try to make the lie convincing to trick other players.
• The other players make guesses or vote for which statement is the lie.
• Play until everyone takes a turn, or keep going to learn more about each other.

How to Play Two Truths, One Lie

One player lists 2 truthful statements and 1 lie about themselves. Choose a person at random to take the first turn of the game. They’ll think of 2 statements about themselves that are truthful and 1 lie that sounds believable. The person then says all their statements out loud. If you don’t want to put people on the spot when it’s their turn to share, give everyone a few minutes at the start of the game to write down their statements first. You can play Two Truths and a Lie with any number of players, but it usually works best as an icebreaker activity with a larger group.

The other players guess which statement is the lie. All the other players can either discuss the statements as a group or individually choose which statement they think is the lie. After everyone makes their guess, the original player reveals the lie they told to the group. People may play the game slightly differently depending on if it’s for an icebreaker activity or for fun, so double-check the rules if you’re not sure. If you want to play Two Truths, One Lie as a drinking game, take a sip if you guess the lie incorrectly. If all the other players guess the lie, the player who told it drinks instead.

Continue playing rounds until you decide to stop. Choose another random player to take the next turn. Play until everyone has had a chance to list their statements, but keep the game going if you’re having fun. Just think of 3 new statements for the next round. While Two Truths, One Lie doesn’t normally have a winner, you can easily keep track of the score. Give 1 point to players who guess the lie correctly, and whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins!

Lie Ideas and Examples

Lies about your childhood and family I have an identical twin. I used to live in Canada before moving to the US. My family goes to Disney World every year. My first concert was Hannah Montana. I’m a distant relative of George Washington. I starred in a commercial when I was a baby. I have 5 younger brothers. My family had pet ferrets when I was growing up. I grew up in California but have never been to the beach. My dad is a pilot and owns a plane.

Lies about your achievements I got a perfect score on the ACT. I graduated from high school when I was a junior. I’ve never been rejected from any job I’ve applied to. I got straight As when I was in college. I’ve had over 10 stories professionally published. I’ve never been pulled over My artwork has been hung up in a museum. I was the employee of the month 3 months in a row at my last job. I made a YouTube video that became a viral hit. I climbed the 5 tallest mountains in the US.

Lies about hidden skills or talents I can play the piano with my eyes closed. I can whistle so it sounds like a bird. I can recite the opening to any Shakespeare play from memory. I can shoot a basketball from half-court and make it. I run a successful Etsy shop with thousands of sales worldwide. I’m a master at doing the worm. I’ve bowled a perfect 300 game. I competed in 5 marathons and placed in all of them. I’ve eaten the world’s spiciest pepper without breaking a sweat. I can juggle up to 8 balls at a time.

Lies about fun or interesting facts I’ve met the President. I can speak 3 languages fluently. I’m allergic to dogs and cats. I’m colorblind. I once won $1,000 from a lottery ticket. I became an ordained minister online. I’ve never been on a plane before. I broke the birth weight record for the hospital where I was born. I’ve been swimming with dolphins. I have an irrational fear of heights.

Lies about food I’m allergic to cherries. I’ve never eaten raw cookie dough. I was a vegetarian for 3 years. I’ve only been to McDonald’s once in my life. My favorite food is chocolate ice cream. I can eat an entire watermelon in one sitting. I won a hot dog-eating contest. I prefer eating cereal without milk. I can’t stand the taste of chocolate. I love artificial banana flavor over real bananas.

Strategies for Lying Convincingly

Choose statements that have the same level of believability. When you’re figuring out your 2 truths and 1 lie, try to pick things that all sound believable or all sound fake. It’ll be a lot harder for the group to figure out the false statement when they all feel like possibilities.

Use outrageous truths and simple lies to fool other people. If you really want to fool the other players, think of true statements that are hard to believe and sound like lies. Then pick lies that sound so basic that no one would suspect them. Example: An outrageous truth could be something like, “I’ve been stung by a bee inside my mouth.” A simple lie may be something like, “I’ve never broken a bone.” Players will tend to pick the more outrageous-sounding statements as a lie, so it’s the perfect way to fool the other players.

Say a half-truth if you have trouble thinking of a lie. Rather than thinking of a complete lie on the spot, think of a truthful statement and just switch the name of a place or person. That way, it sounds like the truth but the details are changed. Example: If pizza is your favorite food and you’re a die-hard Pizza Hut fan, you could easily lie and say, “My favorite food of all time is pizza from Dominos.” Other players may think telling a half-truth isn’t fair because it’s harder to figure out. If anyone seems annoyed by it, tell a full lie the next time it’s your turn.

Mix up the order of your statements each time it’s your turn. Try to avoid making the lie your last statement every time because clever players may catch on. If you’re playing multiple rounds, switch between saying the lie as your first, second, and third statement every turn so you don’t get caught.

Try to keep a straight face and tone. When you list your statements, use the same facial expression and tone for each one so the lie is harder to figure out. Rapid blinking, flaring your nostrils, and changing the tone of your voice are all common ways to tell that someone is lying, so avoid doing it if you’re able to.