Fun with friends: 5 ways to play using a question box

Way to play 1: the "Who am I?" game

Your friend group opens a question box, and each person anonymously sends 3 "hints about themselves." Think along the lines of "I wear glasses," "I had curry yesterday," and "I'm good at math."

The person answering looks at the hints and guesses who sent them. The right answer is revealed when the sender owns up.

It's a game that only works because it's anonymous, and finding out unexpected sides of each other can get everyone excited. You'll end up with conversations like "Wait, who had curry?!"

Way to play 2: the "this-or-that showdown"

In this game, the person answering sets a two-choice topic and has people vote through the question box. Post something like "Kinoko no Yama vs Takenoko no Sato (two rival chocolate snacks in Japan): which side are you on? Tell me why, too!"

Count up the questions (votes) you receive and announce the results. Picking out the funniest reasons and sharing them gets things going in a different way.

The more everyday the topic, the more heated it gets. Topics with no right answer work well, such as "soy sauce or Worcestershire-style sauce on your fried eggs" or "doing your summer homework at the start of break or at the very end."

Way to play 3: the "question relay"

When friend A answers a question in their question box, they write "Ask B next!" at the end of the answer and paste a link to B's question box. When B answers, it passes to C, and when C answers, it goes back to A, and so on down the relay.

Relaying the same question is fun too. Ask everyone "What would you take to a desert island?" and compare the answers. Even with the same question, different people come up with different answers, so you'll get reactions like "Wait, you'd take that?!"

Way to play 4: the "spot the lie game"

The person answering writes 3 stories about themselves. 2 are true, and 1 is a lie. They ask through the question box, "Which one do you think is the lie?"

For example: "1. I got chased by a dog in elementary school." "2. I once stirred natto (fermented soybeans) 100 times." "3. I've climbed Mount Fuji." Have people send their guesses about which one is the lie to the question box.

When a surprising story turns out to be true, people go "No way, seriously?!" and should want to know more about that person.

Way to play 5: the "pretend advice session"

In this game, people anonymously send made-up problems, and the person answering responds in all seriousness. The point is problems that could never happen, like "An alien confessed their love to me. What should I do?" or "I thought my cat ran away, but it turned out to be living at the neighbor's house."

The rule is that the person answering must reply with a completely straight face. When you answer seriously, with something like "First, it's important to understand alien culture," the gap is what makes it funny.

It may seem silly, but it's a game that tests your answering skills more than you'd expect. It gives you practice facing even the wildest questions seriously, so it should help with answering normal questions too.

Way to play 6: the "what if series"

In this game, you send each other imaginary questions like "If you won the lottery, what would you spend it on?" or "What if you could be invisible for just one day?"

Because there's no right answer, a person's values and personality tend to show through. The fun part is that the setup is so far from reality that honest feelings and unexpected sides slip out.

The person answering can let their imagination run and talk freely, so they can relax and enjoy it. Another appeal is that you can make endless variations on "What if X?" questions. When you send them back and forth with friends, unexpected answers give you a laugh together and can also be a chance to discover new sides of each other.

Way to play 7: "guess my day"

In this game, you ask "Guess what I did today!" and have your followers try to figure it out.

The person asking gives clues, like "3 hints: I got up early, I ate something sweet, and I messed up a little." The people who see it imagine the whole day from those pieces and answer.

Whether the guesses are right or wrong, the moment of the reveal is fun. "So close! Actually..." also gives you a chance to talk about your day. This game, a cross between a quiz and a diary, will probably turn ordinary everyday moments into something everyone can enjoy together.

Tips for setting rules that get things going

Whatever the game, explaining the rules clearly is the key to getting people excited. Keep the announcement simple, like "We're playing the X game now. The rules are Y. Feel free to send something!"

Setting a time limit is another option. If you decide on "just one hour from 8 tonight," people tend to join during that window. Enjoying it briefly and intensely may well be more memorable than letting it drag on.

When it's over, say a quick "That was fun! Thanks for joining." It gets people looking forward to the next game. With a few small touches to the rules, your usual question box might turn into a little game venue where everyone can play together.