Hot Take

Getting started

1. 1

   Open the TV screen

   One person opens the game on a TV or a computer hooked up to one and presses HOST. The TV shows a 4-letter room code and a QR code. Tap once on the TV to start it.

2. 2

   Join on phones

   Everyone else scans the QR code, or types the code on this site. Each player types a name (up to 12 characters) and picks a color. Names and colors can't be shared.

3. 3

   Start with 3 to 12

   You need at least 3 players. The room holds up to 12. Nobody can join after the start.

4. 4

   Pick the rounds

   After the host starts, the TV shows how to play and a rounds setting. It starts by itself after 15 seconds, or press Start now.

How a round works

1. 1

   Write two answers

   Each player gets 2 prompts on their phone. Every prompt goes to exactly two players. You have 60 seconds in total, with up to 80 characters per answer. Surprise me fills in a ready-made answer. Once an answer is sent, it can't be changed.

2. 2

   Head to head

   The TV shows a prompt with two answers side by side, with no names. Everyone except the two writers votes for one, with 25 seconds to do it. The two writers sit that one out.

3. 3

   Reveal

   The TV shows who wrote each answer, who voted for which, and the points.

4. 4

   Scores

   After all the head-to-heads in a round, the TV shows the scores.

5. 5

   The Last Word

   The last round is always the Last Word. Everyone answers one prompt in 60 seconds. Then everyone has 40 seconds to pick their top two answers, not counting their own. The TV shows the ranking, then the final scores with Play again and Back to lobby.

Rules

• Every player is in exactly 2 head-to-heads per round, and never against the same person twice in a round.
• Each vote is worth 100 points to the answer's writer.
• If one answer gets every vote and at least 2 votes were cast, its writer gets 200 more. With only 3 players there is just 1 voter, so no bonus.
• A tie, including 0 to 0, has no winner and no bonus. Each side keeps 100 per vote.
• In the Last Word, each time someone picks your answer is worth 150 points.
• Equal scores share a place.
• If you run out of time, a ready-made answer is filled in for you. If that happens in two rounds in a row, the game stops waiting for you until you answer again.
• A round moves on as soon as everyone connected has answered or voted.
• A phone that refreshes goes back to its seat with its answers kept.
• If fewer than 2 players are connected when a new round is about to begin, the game ends and shows the scoreboard.

Host settings

Rounds

2 to 5, set on the TV before the first round. The default is 3. The Last Word counts as the last round, so 3 means 2 head-to-head rounds plus the Last Word.

Start now

Skips the 15-second wait on the how-to screen.

Skip ahead

A button on the TV that moves past a reveal or a score screen.

Sound

Off by default. Turn it on with the toggle on the TV.