Drawing Telephone
Write, draw, describe - and see what comes out at the end!
How to Play
Goal
Create funny chains of sentences and drawings together. No winner - it's all about fun!
Writing
In the writing phase, describe a scene or write a sentence. Be creative!
Drawing
In the drawing phase, you see a sentence and must draw it as a picture.
Gallery
At the end, all chains are revealed - from the first message to the last interpretation.
Strategy & tips
Draw nouns, not moods. Trying to paint a feeling produces a chain that veers off at the second step. Concrete objects survive several rounds — and the joke lands precisely when they finally tip over.
When describing, write exactly what you see, not what might have been meant. The urge to fix an unclear drawing spoils the chain. Describing literally produces the better misunderstandings.
Use all your time. Almost everyone stops too early. One more detail — a hand, a label, a second object — gives the next player something to hold on to and keeps the chain legible for longer.
Variants
Drawing only
Every step is a drawing, with no describing steps. The chain shifts more slowly but more subtly.
Own opening lines
Instead of prompts, everyone writes their own opening sentence. Considerably more personal.
Short timer
Only seconds per step. Drawings get rough and chains derail much faster.
How it works
1. Create a game
Click "Create Game" and receive a 6-digit code.
2. Share the code
Share the code with your friends – via WhatsApp, Telegram, or just tell them.
3. Play instantly
Your friends enter the code and you start playing immediately. No login required!
Origin
The format combines two very old games: the whispered message that degrades as it passes along, and drawing a given term. In its paper form it became known as Eat Poop You Cat.
The appeal comes from switching medium. Every transition between word and image loses information and adds interpretation — after five steps divergence is practically guaranteed, and usually funny.
Frequently asked questions
How does a round work?
Everyone writes a sentence, the next player draws it, the one after describes the drawing — and so on until the chains are full.
How many players do I need?
At least three, and it gets good from five. The longer the chain, the bigger the divergence at the end.
Do I need to be able to draw?
Quite the opposite. Clumsy drawings make the best chains — talent is rather a handicap here.