Play Alias Online
A team word game where one player describes secret words and the team races to guess as many as possible.
Alias needs at least 3 players and has no bots — it's a group game. Gather your crew before creating a lobby, or warm up with a bot-ready game like Yahtzee or Connect Four.
Can you play Alias online with a group for free?
Yes, with three to sixteen people and no bots – Alias is teams talking to each other, so the room needs real players. One teammate describes the word without saying it, the others guess against the clock, a skip costs a point, and the higher score wins.
What is Alias?
Alias is a team word-description game. One player sees a secret word and explains it without saying the word itself.
Correct guesses score points. Skips cost points. Teams take turns until the final score decides the winner.
How to play
- 1Create a lobbyInvite your group and split into teams. From four players up, anyone can switch sides before the start.
- 2Describe wordsUse clues, synonyms, and examples without saying the secret word. Ten words per card, shown one at a time.
- 3Guess quicklyThe team guesses against the timer and scores for correct answers. Typed guesses appear in the describer's feed.
- 4Switch teamsTeams alternate turns until the match ends. Each team gets three turns, and the describer seat rotates.
Alias rules
- 1Four or more players form two teams, and newcomers join the smaller one.
- 2With exactly three, everyone plays alone and scores only while describing.
- 3Each turn deals ten words, one at a time, never repeated in a game.
- 4The describer taps Guessed or Skip for every word.
- 5A turn ends at the tenth word, at End Turn, or at zero on the clock.
Alias scoring
Net words per turn
Guesses minus skips, so a turn ranges from plus ten to minus ten.
- Guessed word+1
When the describer confirms it.
- Skipped word−1
Whenever Skip is pressed.
- Word left at zero−1
Counts as a skip.
- Word left after End Turn0
Not scored.
- Level at the topTie
Equal top totals after three turns each.
Modes and settings
- Table size
Rooms of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 16 seats, 8 by default; more than ten needs a Premium host.
- Turn length
30, 60, 90 or 120 seconds per turn, 60 by default.
Alias strategy
- 1.Skip early or not at all
A skip costs one point at any second, so drop hopeless words at once.
- 2.Beat the clock to zero
Near zero with words left? Press End Turn before they become skips.
- 3.Say what it does
"You ring it at a front door" beats "a small electric bell".
- 4.Leave a gap to fill
A phrase missing one word, like "Humpty Dumpty sat on a …", is quick to fill.
- 5.Build compounds in halves
For lighthouse or doorbell, lead the team to each half without saying it.
- 6.Guess in single words
One word per message is easiest to spot in the describer's feed.
- 7.Try the plain form
Every answer is one English word; after a near miss, try the basic form.
- 8.Read the results screen
Skipped words listed between turns show which clues your group finds hard.
Common mistakes
- Letting the clock hit zero
Every unplayed word then costs a point.
- Skipping on reflex
Skip all ten words and the turn ends ten points down.
- Guessing in paragraphs
A long message buries the word the describer is scanning for.
Playing together online
- One room, many screens
Share the room code or link; clock, tally and guesses update on every connected device.
- People, never bots
No solo mode or bots. Short of three? Share the invite link or join an open room.
- One shared clock
Every player sees the countdown; once it runs out, the turn closes and unplayed words count as skips.
- A browser and a name
Any browser, nothing to install; guests pick a name and play.
Why Alias belongs on Boardly
- Designed for group play.
- Simple room links for friends.
- Fast rounds that work for parties.
- No app download planned.
Who it suits
Alias suits parties, family evenings and video calls; its English deck also helps learners.
Where Alias comes from
Describing a word without saying it is an old parlour game; the boxed Alias made it a party classic in the Nordic countries and Eastern Europe.
Questions about Alias on Boardly
- Is Alias on Boardly free?
- Yes. Rooms of up to ten, every turn length and the whole deck are free; 12 or 16 seats, spectators and premium lobby themes need a Premium host.
- Does Alias work on a phone?
- Yes, in the mobile browser. The card and the Guesses feed sit on two tabs, one tap apart.
- What happens when the clock runs out?
- The turn ends, and every word left on the card counts as a skip. End Turn before zero avoids that.
- Can guessers see the word?
- Only the describer's screen shows the card; everyone else sees a question mark and the describer's name.
- How are the teams picked?
- Newcomers join the smaller team, with four or more players anyone can switch sides, and the host starts once no team is empty.
- Are the words in English?
- Yes, whatever the site language: 200 English words such as castle and kaleidoscope, none repeated in a game.
- What if the describer leaves mid-turn?
- The turn ends at once, scoring only words already marked; below three players the game ends.
New to Alias? Read the rules and how to play.