Spartan Speech
Give the shortest clue you can and hope it’s enough. Spartan Speech is a fast, funny party game about describing famous names with as few words as possible.
Say less. Somehow say enough.
In Spartan Speech, players write short clues for well-known people, places, movies, shows, brands, books, and other famous names. The shortest clues are revealed first. If your clue gets someone to guess the answer, you win the card.
Fast
Games take about 15-30 minutes, so it’s easy to play again immediately.
Funny
The best clues are often strange, desperate, and barely functional.
Simple
Write a clue. Reveal the shortest clues first. Guess the answer. Score cards.
The game started with forgotten names.
Spartan Speech was inspired by a coworker who could describe TV shows and movies perfectly, except he could never remember their names or the names of any actors.
One day, he described Stranger Things as “that show where kids run around in the dark.” Understandable? Kind of. A fun challenge? Absolutely.
That tiny, awkward description became the heart of the game: can you make people guess a famous name using the shortest clue possible?
Example inspiration
“That show where kids run around in the dark.”
Answer: Stranger Things
Example round
Everyone (except the guesser) sees the same hidden proper noun and writes a clue. The clue with the fewest words is revealed first. If someone guesses correctly from your clue, you score.
human rag
celebrity periodical
most beautiful monthly tabloid
How to play
The goal is to write the shortest clue that still gets someone to guess the hidden proper noun.
Reveal the hidden proper noun
All players (except this round's Guesser) see a card with a famous person, place, title, brand, character, or other well-known proper noun.
Write your clue
Each player (except this round's Guesser) writes a clue on their board using ordinary dictionary words (no proper nouns, numerals, punctuation). The clue should point people toward the hidden proper noun and then puts down their board when finished.
Reveal the fewest words first
The clue with the fewest words is revealed first. This rewards risky, efficient, weirdly compact clues.
Break ties with the first word
If two clues have the same number of words, the clue with the shortest first word is revealed first. If still tied, the player who finished writing their clue first reveals first.
Guess and score
After each reveal, this round's Guesser may make one guess at the answer. If correct, the writer of that clue wins the card.
Winning
Start a new round with the next player as the Guesser. At the end of the game (usually after 24 rounds), the player with the most cards wins.
Ancient pottery. Modern nonsense.
The art for Spartan Speech is inspired by ancient Greek reliefs and red-figure pottery, with Spartan hoplites gathered around a table playing Spartan Speech and drinking coffee.
This stunning work of art was handcrafted by Eline Melissen, a master of ceramic board game art, and then photographed.
Tested with real players
Spartan Speech has been playtested with real players, including at Gen Con and Protospiel Indy.
Protospiel Indy
We brought Spartan Speech to Protospiel Indy for player feedback, testing, and iteration.
Gen Con First Exposure Playtest Hall
We tested the game with dozens of players at Gen Con’s First Exposure Playtest Hall.
Follow Spartan Speech on Kickstarter
Follow the campaign to get notified when Spartan Speech launches.
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