Guess Who? Official Rules 2014, [page not specified]
Expertise: Board game rules expert. | Verification: Cross-referenced official 2014 Winning Moves manual and secondary rule sources. | Purpose: Resolve the #1 dispute regarding whether questions must be strictly physical or can be subjective.
Key Insight: To avoid arguments, establish whether you are playing the 'serious' physical-only version or the 'silly' subjective version before the first turn.
These rules correspond to the US edition of Guess Who?.
According to the Winning Moves Official Rulebook, players take turns asking yes or no questions about their opponent's mystery character. The objective is to use these questions to narrow down the identity of the character through a process of elimination. While the official instructions emphasize using questions like 'Does your character have glasses?' to eliminate faces, the game is fundamentally about narrowing down the 24 possibilities based on the answers provided.
Example Play Situation
Alice asks Bob, 'Does your character have glasses?' Bob answers 'No.' Alice then flips down all characters on her board that are wearing glasses to narrow her choices.
House Rules
[HOUSE RULE] Some players choose to play a 'silly' or 'subjective' variant where questions relate to personality, celebrity look-alikes, or hypothetical scenarios rather than physical features.
Common Misconceptions
Subjective questions are forbidden by official rules
You can ask multiple questions in a single turn
Questions must only be about hair or eye color
Quick Reference
You Can
You Cannot
You can ask yes or no questions
You cannot ask questions that require anything other than a yes or no answer
You can use deduction to eliminate multiple characters
You cannot guess the character until it is your turn to guess
You can use subjective questions in casual play
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the official rule for asking questions in Guess Who?
Players take turns asking yes or no questions to narrow down the identity of the opponent's character.
Is it allowed to ask if a character is a 'mean girl'?
Yes, this is a subjective question often used in casual or 'silly' house rule variations.
Can I ask two questions at once, like 'Does your person have black or brown hair?'
This is generally treated as a single question that narrows the population, but players should agree on this beforehand.
What happens if I guess the character incorrectly?
If you make an incorrect guess, your opponent wins the game.
