Official Smart Ass Rules

Last Updated on September 3, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Smart Ass is the trivia game that tests not just your knowledge, but also your speed and wit! Answer questions in ten different categories, from history and geography to pop culture and more. But be quick! The first player to shout out the correct answer wins the round and moves closer to becoming the ultimate Smart Ass. It’s a fast-paced, challenging, and hilarious party game that’s perfect for testing who really is the smartest in your group.

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How to Play Smart Ass

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Objective

The goal of Smart Ass is to be the first player to reach “The End” of the game board by correctly answering questions and advancing your game piece.

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Components

• 1 Game board
• 400 Question cards
• 6 Playing pieces with stands
• 24 Letter tokens (A, B, C, D)
• 1 Die

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Setup

1. Each player takes a set of four letter tokens: A, B, C, D.
2. Each player selects a game piece and places it in a stand on the Start space.
3. Separate the question cards into four categories: Who, What, Where, and Smart Ass. Place each deck in its designated corner on the board.
4. Decide who will be the first Reader (typically the oldest Dumb Ass player).

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Smart Ass Gameplay

Question Categories

• Who, What, Where cards: Players attempt to pick the Dumb Ass answer—the choice that does not belong among the four options.
• Smart Ass cards: Players attempt to pick the Smart Ass answer, which is the single correct choice based on the clue.

Taking a Turn

1. The Reader draws a card from the appropriate deck (start with a Who card) and reads the clue aloud along with the four possible answers.
2. All other players select their answer by placing the corresponding letter token face down in front of them.
3. Once all players have answered, everyone reveals their letter tokens simultaneously.
4. The Reader announces the correct answer.

Moving Pieces

• Players who selected the correct answer roll the die and advance their piece the corresponding number of spaces.
• Bonus Move: If a player correctly identifies why the answer is correct, they may move 1 extra space. If multiple players are correct, the first to shout the explanation gets the bonus.
• Players with the wrong answer do not move, but there is no penalty.
• If no one answers correctly, the Reader rolls the die and moves their piece instead.

Next Turn

• Play continues clockwise. The next player to the left becomes the Reader.
• The category of the question is determined by the color of the space the new Reader’s piece occupies.

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Special Spaces

• Dumb Ass Space: Players landing here must move back 2 spaces.
• Rest Your Ass Space: Players landing here lose their next turn and cannot participate in the upcoming card.
  • If it’s their turn to be the Reader, play skips to the next player.
  • After missing one card, the player resumes normal play and may choose a card from any category when reading.

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Winning the Game

The first player to navigate the board and reach “The End” space is declared the winner.

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Smart Ass FAQ