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The Whisper Challenge, or Headphone Game, has been a popular game on The Tonight Show and social media, and it’s one you can easily play at home. All you have to do is guess what someone is saying without being able to hear them, but sometimes the phrases can be goofy and challenging. Whether you want to make your own video or just have fun with friends, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to learn how to play as well as some simple strategies to help you do better.
Whisper Challenge Rules
To play the Whisper Challenge, have players put on headphones with loud music so they can't hear anything. One person chooses a phrase or sentence, and whispers it to another player. That player has to guess the phrase by reading the person's lips and say it out loud. If they guess the phrase correctly, they win!
Steps
How to Play the Whisper Challenge Game
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Make a list of phrases for each player. You can play the whisper challenge with just one friend or a full group of people. Have everyone come up with and write down some goofy or absurd phrases. Make sure no one else sees what you’ve written down so that it’s a big surprise while you’re playing the game.- Jump to our section with example phrases for inspiration to use during your game.
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Have players put on noise-cancelling headphones. Noise-cancelling headphones work the best because they block out the most noise, but any headphones with loud music will do. If you want everyone involved with each phrase, make sure each person has their own set of headphones. Alternatively, you can take turns going one at a time if you only have one set of headphones.- When everyone has their headphones on, try whispering or talking to the other person to see if they can hear you. If they don’t respond or look confused, then the volume is probably loud enough.
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Choose the first person to say a secret phrase. The person reading off the phrase takes off their headphones and chooses one of the other players. Choose one of the phrases from the list, and whisper it to the person wearing headphones. -
4Try to guess the word or phrase whispered to you. The person wearing headphones won’t be able to hear the phrase, so they’ll have to read lips to figure out the answer. They can ask the person to repeat the phrase as many times as they want before making a guess out loud.
- If you want to keep score, give the guesser 2 points for getting the whole phrase correct, 1 point for getting it partially correct, or 0 points if they got it completely wrong.
- You may want to set a limit on how many times a person can ask you to repeat the phrase, to make sure that you don't get stuck on the same people for too long.
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Pass the phrase along if you have multiple players. If you’re playing with more than 2 people, the player who first heard the phrase turns to the next person and whispers it to them. Keep passing the phrase down the line of players until you reach the last person in the group, who will say it out loud for everyone.- The original person who gave the phrase will let the group know if they got the phrase correct or not.
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6Choose a new player to give the next phrase. After one round, have the next player in line whisper a new phrase to someone else. Continue playing rounds until you’ve all had a chance to give your phrases or until you’ve had enough fun for one night.
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Record the game if you want to share your results. If you want to relive the funny memories or show other people the game, have someone take out their phone or a camera to record. Whisper challenges have gone viral on TikTok because of funny responses and reactions, so maybe your game will be the next big hit!- For example, check out this whisper challenge TikTok from user @callie.deedee, or this clip from @fallontonight where Jimmy Fallon challenges Margot Robbie!
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan there be too many people playing this challenge?
Community AnswerNo. You will just have to come up with more phrases and get a few extra pairs of headphones. -
QuestionHow do I play twister challenge?
Community AnswerGet the game kit first and then follow the instructions on the box. -
QuestionShould I switch up the phrase while I'm saying it?
Community AnswerDo not switch up the phrase, as that is cheating and goes against the point of the game.
Video
Tips
References
- https://www.umcyoungpeople.org/lead/whisper-challenge-2
- https://www.southernliving.com/movie-quotes-8648821
- https://kidactivities.net/the-whisper-challenge-how-to-play-and-50-phrases-ideas/
- https://1pvi.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tongue-Twisters.pdf
- https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/fun-games/tongue-twisters
- https://www.scarymommy.com/tongue-twisters
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