Guess Who? Rules – How to Play the Classic Deduction Board Game

Last Updated on January 12, 2026 by The Official Game Rules Team

Guess Who? is a classic two-player deduction game where players take turns asking yes-or-no questions to identify their opponent’s mystery character. By strategically narrowing down the options, players eliminate faces from their board until only one remains. With its simple yet engaging gameplay, Guess Who? is a fun and quick game that challenges logic and observation skills. In this guide, we’ll explain the rules and offer tips to help you master the art of deduction and outguess your opponent!

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How to Play Guess Who?

Objective

Be the first player to correctly identify your opponent’s Mystery Person—before they guess yours.

Game Components

2 plastic gameboards
48 plastic frames
48 face cards
24 mystery cards
8 rubber feet
2 score keepers (used only for Championship Play)

Assembly

Attach the rubber feet
Peel the rubber feet from the backing and attach four to the bottom corners of each gameboard.
Prepare the face cards
Carefully remove all 48 face cards from the sheet. Insert each card into a plastic frame.
Load the gameboards
Snap the framed face cards into the slots on the matching-color gameboard. The order does not matter. Once inserted, flip each frame up and down to ensure it moves smoothly.
Add score keepers (optional)
Remove the score keepers from the runner and attach them to the gameboards. These are only used if you are playing Championship Play.

Setup

Each player chooses a gameboard and places it on a flat surface with the Mystery Card slot closest to them.
Tip the board away from you so that all face frames flip upright, then lay the board flat again.
Shuffle the Mystery cards. Each player draws one at random and places it into their Mystery Card slot so only they can see it.
Set the unused Mystery cards aside, out of play.

Do not let your opponent see your Mystery Person.

Gameplay

Players take turns asking questions to narrow down which face their opponent has chosen. The younger player goes first. Turns then alternate.

On Your Turn

You must choose one of the following actions:

Ask one yes-or-no question, or
Make a final guess about your opponent’s Mystery Person

Be careful—an incorrect guess immediately loses the game.

Asking Questions

You may ask only one question per turn.
Questions must be answerable with “yes” or “no.”
Example: “Does your person have glasses?”

After your opponent answers, flip down any faces on your board that no longer match the description. Once you finish eliminating faces, your turn ends.

Understanding the Faces

The faces differ in many ways, including:

Hair color
Eye color
Facial hair
Glasses or hats
Nose size and other features

Pay close attention to these details as you ask questions and eliminate options.

Guessing the Mystery Person

When you believe you know who your opponent’s Mystery Person is, make a guess instead of asking a question.

Say the name of the character clearly, for example:
“The Mystery Person is Alex.”

If your guess is correct, you win.
If your guess is wrong, you lose immediately.

How to Win

The game ends when one player correctly guesses the opponent’s Mystery Person, or when a player makes an incorrect guess.

Challenge Game (Advanced Rules)

For a more difficult version:

Each player draws two Mystery cards and places them side by side.
Your goal is to identify both of your opponent’s Mystery People.

Asking Questions in Challenge Mode

You must specify whether your question applies to both or either Mystery Person.

Examples:

“Do both of your people wear glasses?”
“Does either of your people have black hair?”

Be careful when eliminating faces. If you ask, “Does either of your people have a beard?” and the answer is “yes,” you cannot eliminate any beardless faces—only one of the two people is guaranteed to have a beard.