Guess Who? Official Rules: Question and Guessing Guide

Many players mistakenly believe they can ask open-ended questions to narrow down possibilities, but the official rules strictly limit the format of inquiries.

According to the Guess Who? Official Rulebook, all questions must have either a 'yes' or 'no' answer.

Guess Who? Official Rules [page not specified]

Expertise: Board game rules expert. | Verification: Directly analyzed provided evidence chunk from the Guess Who? manual. | Purpose: Resolve the #1 confusion regarding question formatting in Guess Who?.

Key Insight: To avoid arguments, ensure all players agree that questions must be binary 'yes/no' before the first turn.

These rules correspond to the US edition of Guess Who?.

Table of Contents

Official Rule Breakdown

According to the Guess Who? Official Rulebook, players are permitted to ask one question per turn until they are ready to make a guess. Each question must be structured so that the opponent can provide a binary response: either 'yes' or 'no'. For example, asking 'Does your person have white hair?' is a valid question because it requires a single-word affirmative or negative response. After the opponent answers, the player may eliminate faces based on that informa…

Step-by-Step

Step 1: Determine if you are ready to guess the mystery person or if you want to ask a question.
Step 2: Formulate a question that can only be answered with 'yes' or 'no'.
Step 3: Ask your opponent the question.
Step 4: Receive a 'yes' or 'no' response from your opponent.
Step 5: Flip down any faces that no longer fit the criteria provided by the answer.
Step 6: End your turn.

Example Play Situation

Alice asks Bob, 'Does your person have glasses?' Bob answers 'No.' Alice then flips down all the faces that are wearing glasses. Alice's turn is now over.

Common Misconceptions

Asking questions that require a description (e.g., 'What color is their hair?')
Asking multiple questions in a single turn
Using a question turn to make a guess

Quick Reference

You Can	You Cannot
Ask questions with 'yes' or 'no' answers	Ask questions that require more than a one-word answer
Flip down faces after receiving an answer	Guess the mystery person before you are ready
Make a guess on your turn instead of asking a question	Use a question turn to guess the person

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the official rule for asking questions in Guess Who?: Every question must be answerable with only a 'yes' or 'no' response.
Can I ask 'What color is your person's hair?': No, questions must be restricted to 'yes' or 'no' answers.
What happens if I guess the person incorrectly?: If your guess is wrong, you immediately lose the game.
Do I have to flip the cards down myself?: Yes, after your opponent answers, you may eliminate faces by flipping them down.