Forbidden words game rules: forms, spelling and translations
In a forbidden-words game you can't say the secret word or any listed forbidden word in any form: plurals and other endings (cups, cupped), compounds that start with it (snowball for snow), spelling it out and saying it in another language all count. Words that only look alike don't: “handle” is not a form of “hand”.
Updated · The Open Apps, Inc.
For a valid clue
- Skip the word and its forbidden list. No secret word and none of the 5 forbidden words, in any form: plurals, -ing, -ed, -er, -y, -less, irregular forms (mice, teeth).
- No compounds built on them. “Snowball” says “snow”; “football” says “foot”.
- No spelling or translating. “c-o-f-f-e-e”, “cof fee” or “kahve” all say the word.
- Keep it short. In Unsaid the score is the number of clue words: three words beat ten.
What counts and what doesn't
| Forbidden word | Not allowed | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| cup | cups, cupped | mug (if it isn't on the list) |
| snow | snowy, snowing, snowball | winter (if it isn't on the list) |
| hand | hands, handy | handle |
| coffee (the secret) | coffees, coffeehouse, c-o-f-f-e-e, kahve | dark roasted, not tea |
Examples from Unsaid's checker. House rules vary.
Use it in ChatGPT
Unsaid is a ChatGPT plugin. Type one of these:
- “Let's play today's Unsaid”
- “Start an Unsaid practice word in English”
- “What's my Unsaid streak?”
Questions
What about Turkish?
Turkish words take long chains of suffixes and change their last consonant (kitap → kitabı), so Unsaid parses the suffixes and tells real other words (sütun, not süt) from forms.
How many clues do I get?
In Unsaid, 5, of up to 10 words each.
What happens if I slip?
In the card, nothing: it shows the word before ChatGPT sees the clue. Typed in the chat, a forbidden word voids the clue and costs one; saying the secret ends the game.