Fun and Games

It is always possible to give a party without playing games. Wingdings with no more aim than to bring people together, ply them with refreshments and leave them to their own devices have sometimes turned out to be fun, but simply gambling that everyone will have a ball at such a gathering is a chancy business at best. The host who wants his parties joyfully anticipated and reluctantly departed plots his guests' amusement in advance.

(This is not to be interpreted as an endorsement of the whistle-blowing "It's nine-thirty! Everybody stop! Now we're going to play the next game!" approach to supervised play. If you've planned six games for an evening, and everyone is having so much fun with game number three that they don't want to quit, forget the remaining trio. You're a success already; why spoil it?)

The following games can be played with suitable variations on rules, prizes and penalties, at the host's discretion, and depending upon how well the guests know one another, or how well lubricated their party spirits become.

Games fall into five categories, and the first category -- a must in party gamesmanship -- is Icebreakers. These are warm-up games, useful at the start of any party, but particularly helpful when some of the guests don't know one another well enough to relax and have a good time. Any of the following should serve to put even the most recalcitrant loner into a convivial party mood.

Ha-Ha -- Everyone stretches out supine on the floor, with each man's head resting on a woman's stomach, and each woman's head on a man's stomach. At a signal from the host, everyone says "Ha-ha-ha-ha." With their heads bouncing merrily on the shaking tummies, the guests' laughter soon becomes genuine, with most of them eventually breaking out in what are appropriately called "belly laughs."

Lap-Sitting -- Girls form a circle and the men a surrounding circle, each man standing behind his date. At a signal from the host, girls begin circling to their right, men to their left; at the next signal, from wherever they are now located, partners must rush to find each other, at which time the men squat to form "laps" on which the girls must sit. Last couple to do so is eliminated, and the circling begins anew, until one couple remains. Prizes for the winners.

Balloon Game -- This can be played by everyone at once or by one couple at a time (in which case the efforts must be timed). Each man faces his date, and a large balloon is placed between them. First (or fastest, if this is timed for each couple) pair to break the balloon by sheer body pressure wins. Last (or slowest) couple must chugalug their drinks.

Handcuffs -- Pair off couples. Each man is handcuffed with the ends of a three-foot string tied to his wrists. Women are similarly handcuffed, with their strings passed behind the men's, so that partners are linked. Object: Get free without undoing knots, removing, wrist loops or breaking string. All start at a given signal, and the resulting contortions will raze any remaining shyness among the guests. Secret: Pass the two-foot section through either of the partner's wrist loops (from the forearm side) and over the hand. Last couple free pays a forfeit.

• • •

Even with the ice broken, the night is still young, and the host knows that attempting to bring everyone into a game at once may still be a bit premature; glasses might have to be refilled a few more times before most of the guests become carefree enough to start showing some competitive spirit. These next games, therefore, are in the Spectators' Delight category; a relatively small number of people will be doing the playing, while the others have simply to watch and enjoy the fun.

Kiss & Tell -- Choose one man, blindfold him and place him in the center of the room. He is then kissed by three different girls in succession, one of whom is his date. The girls don't speak, and the gentleman must pick out his partner. Successful guessers may win a prize.

Guess Who -- Take the men into another room. Blindfold one of them. In the meantime, one of the women has been selected and blindfolded. Now bring everyone together again. The blindfolded pair, placed in the center of the room, must guess each other's identity by touch alone. Of course, no speaking or sounds allowed, from either the couple or surrounding guests. When a player feels he knows his partner, he says who it is. If correct, he gets a point; if not, it makes it that much easier for the other blindfoldee to guess his name. Guessing continues until someone is identified, then the game starts again with two new players. The group (men or women) having the least number of points at end of game loses, and must chugalug their drinks, or winning group can be given prizes.

Adam & Eve -- The guests form a circle, with one man and one woman in the center as Adam and Eve. Adam is blindfolded and tries to find Eve by calling "Eve!" to which she must answer "Here I am, Adam!" When he hears the mating call, the man attempts to grab the girl, who tries to dodge him. Byplay continues against a one-minute time limit. If Adam catches Eve, he can remove his blindfold and choose another man to take his place. If he fails, the girl chooses another Eve. No matter who wins each round, the blindfold changes from man to woman each time, so that Eve always chases Adam after he has chased Eve.

Clap Hands -- A guest is chosen to be it and is sent out of the room. Then everyone agrees on something for it to do. (Examples: Take the ashtray from the coffee table, empty it into the fireplace and place it on the host's head. Or, kiss a particular girl on the cheek, pick her up, carry her around the couch and deposit her in another guest's lap.) Once the action is chosen, it is called back into the room and told that the guests will tell him what to do by the tempo and volume of their clapping. They begin to do so, rhythmically and quietly. The one who is it moves around aimlessly, and every time a random move or gesture approaches the desired action, the clapping increases in tempo and volume. A wrong move and the clapping slows and becomes fainter. After he has completed his assignment, another it is chosen. At end of game, the one performing in the shortest time wins; slowest must pay a forfeit.

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There may still be some guests holding back from wholehearted entry into the games. To warm up those not quite filled with group spirit as yet, you can try Team Competition; guests who might have avoided other forms of play won't want to be called poor sports by teammates. Also, with teams chosen, they are less likely to be able to subvert anyone else into joining them as nonparticipants.

Drawn Charades -- Three pencils and three pads of paper are needed. The host selects one person from each team and hands each a pad and pencil. Then, so that they alone can observe, he writes a word, a phrase or even a sentence on the third pad. At a signal, the two return to their teams and draw a picture which -- actually or symbolically -- gives teammates a clue to what has been written. First team to shout the correct answer wins; losers must chugalug their drinks. Then another person from each team is chosen and the game proceeds. The host may start out with simple subjects, such as "train" or "ice-cream cone," but soon thereafter can move on to trickier ones like "slaughter" or "gallop," or even into the realm of abstract concepts on the order of "justice" or "malice." You'll find that everyone wants more than one turn at this one, and no prizes will be necessary, since it is likely to continue till the paper runs out.

Life Saver Game -- Alternate girl, boy, girl, boy, etc., on each team, in two lines side by side. Each player is provided with a toothpick to be held in his mouth, and on the toothpick of the first person in each line is placed a candy Life Saver. The idea is to pass the Life Saver from toothpick to toothpick without using the hands or dropping the Life Saver. The first team managing to get the Life Saver down the entire line and back again wins. (This can also be played without teams: Guests form a circle and pass the Life Saver around. Whenever someone drops the candy, he must down his drink.)

Orange Game -- Similar to Life Saver Game, but in this, an orange is passed. No use of hands allowed, the orange being held between chin and chest of the first player, and gotten hold of in the same manner by the next in line. Considerable body contact is inevitable, which is, of course, the game's charm.

Honeymoon -- Props needed here: a small suitcase, a nightgown, pajamas and a bed. At a signal, a couple takes the nightie and pajamas, throws them into the bag, runs to the bedroom, puts the pajamas and nightgown on over their clothing (in sophisticated circles, they're sometimes put on in place of outer garments), hops into bed, removes the pajamas and nightgown from each other, repacks, and returns to the starting point. Then a couple from the other team goes, and so on. Couples are timed, with suitable prizes for the lowest score.

Water Ball -- If the party is at poolside, divide into teams, women on one side, men on the other, each man opposite his date. Hand each girl a balloon filled with water. At a signal from the host, the girls all toss their balloons to the men; at another signal, the men toss them back. Then teams must step one pace farther apart, and the throws back and forth are repeated. And so on, until one couple remains with balloon intact. (Note: Couples who are eliminated early may want a second chance; the price for a new balloon is downing their drinks.)

• • •

At this point, you are ready to begin the Entire Group category, because any ice not already broken just won't break, and at least you now have some readymade exclusions from your next guest list. You can get rid of the party poopers on the spot, however, with the first of the following games.

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Truth -- Guests are seated in a circle. Game begins when one of the guests asks a personal question, on any subject. Person to his left must answer the question truthfully, or say, "I have to go home now," and leave the party. Each guest in turn must answer the initial question until it has involved the entire circle, including -- finally -- the person who made up the question. Then the person on the starter's left asks a new question, or one in further pursuit of details not evoked by the first question, and once again each person in the circle must respond truthfully or go home. In this game, it is not considered sporting to claim the Fifth Amendment.

Hearsay -- One guest is asked to write down a short true story about himself or about another guest (or about both of them) and then read it in a whispers to the guest on his left, who whispers it to the next guest, and so on. (No repetitions are allowed, so guests must listen carefully to get it right the first time.) By the time the story reaches the last guest, it likely will not bear the vaguest resemblance to its original form. After the last guest has told it aloud, each guest in turn, going backward, must tell the version he heard, until the initiator reads the accurate account.

Fumble -- The men gather at one end of the room, the women at the other. After the host douses the lights, the object is to find one's date in the dark. No talking is allowed, so identification must be by braille. A penalty may be imposed on the last couple to get together. In a variation, the guests are blindfolded and the lights left on. Once a man finds his date, they may then remove their blindfolds and enjoy the others' gropings.

Mix & Match -- The girls leave the room and each deposits an article of clothing in a basket. All girls must deposit the same article; early in the party it may be as innocuous as a shoe. The girls then return with the basket. At a signal, the men rush to it, each grabs one piece of clothing, then goes from girl to girl in an effort to find the owner and to put the article back on. The result is not only considerable contact, but a chance for male guests to meet, informally, women other than their dates. As the game progresses, the article of clothing can become more intimate -- with increasingly rewarding results.

Buzz -- Guests sit in a circle and begin counting off clockwise, but every number divisible by seven, or with a seven in it, must be called "buzz," at which point the counting reverses direction. A missed turn or a mistake means that the player must down his drink. Of course, those who miss once or twice will be more likely to miss again. The object of the game is to get to 50, but things get very tricky around 27 and 28, both of which are "buzz" numbers, which means a double reversal of direction, and often much confusion. Strip Buzz is played in some circles: players who goof remove an article of clothing instead of drinking.

Ping Pong -- This tougher version of Buzz involves greater confusion and therefore much more drinking. On numbers with three in them, or divisible by three, the player says "Ping"; on numbers with five in them, or divisible by five, the player says "Pong." The catch is that the direction is changed every time the word is "Pong." Both Buzz and Ping Pong should be played at a relatively fast pace, too long a hesitation on a guest's part counts as a miss.

Crossed & Uncrossed -- For best results, two or three people should know the secret before the game starts. Then, play begins as a pair of scissors is passed around the seated circle of guests, the passer saying, "I pass them crossed [or uncrossed]," and the recipient saying, "I receive them crossed [or uncrossed]." Anyone who says crossed when he should say uncrossed, or vice versa, must take a healthy swig of his drink: those already in the know will tell him if he's right or wrong, because actually crossed and uncrossed refer not to the scissors but to the legs of passer and receiver.

Categories -- Players in the circle set a rhythm for this game by clapping their hands in unison. The first player, on the third handclap, names a category -- for instance, cigarettes. Everyone claps twice more, then the next player in the circle must name a brand within the category; and so it goes, around the circle, until someone misses. Brands can't be repeated, and when the player can't think of one in the time allotted by the clapping rhythm, he has missed. He must chugalug his drink, after which he starts the clapping again and names a new category. Categories must be broad enough (automobiles, movie titles, mammals, jazz musicians, etc.) to go around the circle at least once.

Feather-Fun -- Your guests, in a circle, kneel while holding a bed sheet by its edges. A single feather is placed in the center of the sheet, and all begin to blow at it. The idea is to avoid being touched by the feather by exerting enough lung power to keep it away. Anyone touched must down his drink, and the game begins again. One of the simplest of games, this is also one of the most fun.

Tillie Williams -- Another game for poolside. Several men (or all) are paired off with girls holding Seltzer bottles. Then the host asks each man in turn questions like "Do you like yellow?" "Do you like red?" "Do you like horses?" and "Do you like kangaroos?" But the girls have been told in secret that, unless each man questioned likes something with a double letter in it (yellow, kangaroos, or even Tillie Williams), he gets squirted with the Seltzer, or, for increased chagrin, all men get squirted when any man misses. Game continues until the last man has caught the code -- or the cold! Then comes sweet revenge: The guys get the bottles, and the girls get squirted unless they say they like something that has four legs (dog, table, chair, twin boys). That pretty well evens the score. (Note: The solution in the latter code becomes more difficult if, after one girl says she likes a table and is therefore not squirted, the next girl is asked, with careless stress on the wrong part of the question, "Do you like tables?"; she will probably say yes, and -- plural tables having more than four legs -- she gets the Seltzer.)

• • •

The final category of games is called Alone in the Dark. These are one-time-only games with the same group, because in each game there is a "catch." The person who is uninformed (that is, alone in the dark) is best selected from the newcomers to your circle of friends, unless one of the regulars has been unlucky enough to miss a party at which any of the following games were played. Also, if one of the party poopers remains (even after a round of Truth), elect him IT for the first game in this section, and if he doesn't flee your premises shortly afterward, then he is possessed of either steel nerves or a bone head.

Psychoanalysis -- One of the group is selected to be IT. The unfortunate who is IT is told to leave the room and is informed that while he is out of the room the others will make up a story of some sort, at which point it will be IT's task to return and try to discover what the story is about by asking everyone in turn whatever questions occur to him, though the others will be restricted in their answers to yes, no or maybe. Once IT is out of the room, the others will make up no story whatsoever. They will use up a little time by freshening their drinks, telling a joke or two at IT's expense and reminding any squares who don't know how the game is played (if, indeed, there is still a square present) of the real rules, which are: When IT returns, any question asked that ends with a consonant is answered with a no; any question asked that ends with a vowel is answered with a yes; a question ending with a "y" permits the answer maybe. The point of the game is that IT makes up his own story, and in the process discloses to the amateur psychoanalysts present, by his free association, his unconscious fantasies.

Here, briefly, are three actual stories as invented by unfortunate its for the delectation of their friends:

1. A girl midget, whose mother is also a midget, marries a boy midget. Goaded on by her mother, the girl midget on her wedding night has sexual intercourse with an elephant, and dies.

2. A sister shoots and kills her brother when she discovers him in her barn, using her milking machine for the purpose of masturbation.

3. A circus train is wrecked and spews forth freaks who rape all the women living in houses beside the railroad tracks.

Stories like these could never be contrived by a group of people sitting around a room. They can only develop in the course of this malevolent parlor game. One hapless chap invented the following story in the following way:

It: Is it a story about people?

Answer: Yes.

It: Is it about animals?

Answer: No.

It: Then every character is a person?

Answer: No.

It: No? Well ... supernatural characters?

Answer: No.

It: Is there a monster in the story?

Answer: Maybe.

It: Well, let's see -- does a woman give birth to a monstrosity?

Answer: Maybe.

It: Well, does she?

Answer: Yes.

It: Maybe? and Yes? Oh, it's two?

Answer: Yes.

It: Siamese twins! Is there a crime?

Answer: Yes.

And so it went. The story unfolded was of a woman who destroyed the Siamese twins she had borne out of wedlock by ripping them to pieces with her bare hands. When It was told this was his own story, he reacted in the usual way, with hot denials. It was patiently explained to him, as it has been to every It to date, that the completely mechanical and arbitrary method of answering gave him a free choice at every turn, and that, for example, he might have started out by asking questions about time, locale, historical period, motivation, anything. Additionally, it was explained that the question as to whether the story was about people, to which an affirmative answer was given, might have satisfied anyone willing to think about people as distinct from non-people, but that It insisted on having other creatures in his story, even after learning there were no animals.

The game can be ended when It is told that he has wormed out the entire story as contrived by the group. Then he is asked his opinion of the person or persons who would make up such a story. The pigeon may not be certain what to say to this, but after ascertaining that no one's feelings will be hurt if he is brutally frank in his critique, he will undoubtedly castigate the mentality and morality of the unknown culprit or culprits. Then tell him who made up the story.

Identity -- This one is not nearly as sadistic as Psychoanalysis. The patsy is simply told that while he is out of the room, a person will be chosen by the guests, and It must guess who the person is. He can ask questions of each guest in turn about the person's appearance, his activities, or his personal life. Matter of fact, personal questions are encouraged. When It leaves the room, each guest learns that the person he is to describe is the one sitting on his right, and that he must answer the most personal questions honestly and to the best of his knowledge. The person who is It can direct only one question at a time to each guest in turn, who must answer "Yes," "No" or "I don't know." The game ends when It guesses that the person he's after is "The Person on Everyone's Right."

Cheeksy-Weeksy -- While the sucker is out of the room, explain the game to the other guests. When your man returns to the circle (which should be, and probably is, boy, girl, boy, girl, etc.), the host begins the game by pinching the cheek of the girl next to him and saying as he does so, "Cheeksy-Weeksy." This bit of foolish flirtation continues around the circle. It will certainly seem silly and rather pointless to the unwary mark, and he will become increasingly baffled as to why everyone else is having such a fine time. What he doesn't know, however, is that the girl tweaking him has lipstick on her fingers, freshly applied from a tube held behind her back. If, by the time his face begins to look like a carnival mask (since, each time around, it changes to Chinsy-Winsy, and Nosey-Wosey, and other puerile variations), he still hasn't been able to figure out the reason for all the chucking, a finale of Mirrorsy-Wirrorsy with a girl's pocket mirror will do the trick.

Just Whistle -- Guests form a circle around It, who is blindfolded, and all silently shake hands with It or clap him on the shoulder as a distraction to allow the host to pin a small plastic whistle on a two-foot string to It's back. Then It is told that someone in the circle is going to blow a whistle and that he (It) is supposed to try to grab the whistle blower. But since the first whistler is behind him, whenever he turns, the little whistle will be propelled to the other side of the circle where someone else blows it. And so on until It realizes that he has the whistle himself.

Under the Sheet -- A guest is seated on the floor in the center of the circle and a bed sheet placed over him. He is told that he has to guess what the group wants him to take off and then remove it. He must continue to take things off under the sheet (while the things he has removed and handed out are put out of his reach) until he realizes that the "something" to be removed is actually the sheet itself. By this time, he may be in no condition to do so.

Movie Director -- In this final game, everyone is It, but no one will realize this until it is much too late. To begin, the host asks everyone to retire to another room. He then sets the stage for the game by placing a bright lamp close to a couch, and a straight-back chair in front of the couch. Then he calls out two men and one woman. The woman and one man are designated "stars" and are told to sit on the couch. The other man is designated as "director" and is told to pose the couple on the couch in any way he pleases. Trick is that, when he has posed them as fiendishly as he can, he is told that he is now the "star," and must take the place of the man on the couch in exactly the pose he has set up! Now a girl is called in from the other room and she is made director and told to pose the couple on the couch. Then she is told to take the place of the gal on the couch. And so on, and on, until all the guests have been the goat. (Important note: Just standing idly about in the other room will make the waiting line restless; if it does not boast a bar, a dartboard or some form of diversion for the directors-to-be, the best thing to do is reserve a group game, such as Feather-Fun or Buzz, to be played by the waiting guests at this time. By the time the remaining players are too few for continued play, they will not have long to wait before their turns.)

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A good host will keep in mind that he is the Master of Revels, not the umpire, and his role is to see that the guests are entertained, not held to a rigid schedule of play. If they are having a fine time with just one game, all evening long, don't worry about time limits, prizes, or even rules if they begin to introduce their own variations. To be remembered as the fellow who knows all those wonderful party games, be flexible about your planned diversions; if you see a game is falling flat, of course, be ready with another. But if everyone is having a swinging time, just remember that your aim is simply to create an atmosphere in which your guests may enjoy themselves to the fullest, and then to relax and join the fun. After all, it's your party.