The rules, step by step
- Everyone secretly writes four nouns — people, places, things — into the bowl.
- Two teams take turns. One player gives clues while the timer runs.
- Round 1: describe it, anything but the word. Round 2: one word only. Round 3: act it out.
- Tap Got it to score, Skip to drop it back in the bowl.
- When the bowl empties, it is refilled and the next round begins. Most words wins.
Scoring and the fiddly bits
The bowl
Four slips each by default, or anywhere from two to five if the host says so. Duplicates between players are merged, so each noun is in there exactly once.
The three rounds
Describe it, then one word only, then act it out — always in that order, always on the same slips.
The clock
Sixty seconds a turn by default. A “Got it” after the buzzer does not score, and any phone whose countdown has run out can close the turn.
Skips
A skipped slip goes to the bottom of the bowl, never out of it. The host sets the allowance at none, one, three or unlimited.
Ending
Each round ends the moment the bowl runs dry. After round three the team with the most slips wins, and equal totals are a draw.
Questions about Bowl of Nouns
Is Bowl of Nouns free?
Yes. Every game on Table Party is free, with no accounts, no adverts and nothing to buy.
How many people do you need for Bowl of Nouns?
Between 4 and 12. Below 4 there are not enough of you for the game to work.
Do we need to download anything?
No. One person opens the site and starts a room; everybody else joins by typing the room code on their own phone. Nothing to install, nothing to sign up for.
Can we play Bowl of Nouns over a video call?
Yes. Share the room code in the chat and play with the call running — everything private stays on each player’s own phone.
Play Bowl of Nouns online
Free, in the browser, with everyone on their own phone.