Dumb Crambo

Dumb Crambo is a pantomime game similar to Charades. Players act out words, but in this game it is the actors that are trying to guess the word.

This game is a good introduction to pantomime games as players are acting out a single word rather than an entire phrase.

What You'll Need

  • 4 or more players
  • Large room with plenty of space for the actors to move around
  • Pencil and paper for keeping score

Setting Up Dumb Crambo

Players are divided into two teams. One group is the audience the other is the actors. The actors leave the room while the audience decides what the word will be and then decide on a rhyming word clue. If the word is "bar" the audience chooses a clue word like "tar".

When choosing a word it is best to pick one that has many possible rhyming words.

Playing the Game

The actors return to the room and are given the word that rhymes with the mystery word. If the actors were giving the clue "tar" for example, they may guess the mystery word is "car" and act this word out by pretending to drive.

If the actors are good and the audience can tell what they are acting out and "car" is not the mystery word, the audience replies "No, it is not a car!"

Maybe they think the word is "jar" and they act as if they are trying to open the lid of a jar.

If this is not the word the audience would respond "No, it is not a jar!".

The actors are given three guesses. If they are unable to figure out the word in the three guesses the audience is awarded one point for stumping the actors.

If the actors guess the word within the three chances the actors are awarded one point and the round is over. The audience and actors switch roles and it is now the new audiences turn to pick a word.

Winning the Game

The first team to 10 points is declared the winner.

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Word Games

