Taboosey Game Guide
What is Taboosey?
Taboosey is a free online word-guessing party game based on the classic Taboo card game. The goal is simple: get your teammates to say the target word using only spoken clues — but you cannot say the target word itself or any of the five taboo words listed beneath it.
What makes Taboosey different from the physical card game? You never run out of cards. The built-in deck spans hundreds of words across six categories, and a smart memory system ensures you never see the same word twice in the same session. The Custom (AI) feature takes it further — type any topic imaginable and the game generates a brand-new deck on the spot using artificial intelligence. No downloads, no accounts, no cost.
Taboosey runs entirely in your web browser. It works on phones, tablets, and computers. One person holds the device as the clue-giver while the rest of the team guesses. When the timer runs out, pass the phone to the other team.
No group handy? Taboosey also has a Solo vs AI mode where the AI is the clue-giver and you are the guesser. You can type your guesses or simply speak them, and even have the AI read its clues aloud. Full details are in the Solo vs AI Mode section below.
How to Play: Step-by-Step Rules
Players: Taboosey works best with 4–8 players split into two teams, but you can play with as few as 2 people (one versus one) — or entirely on your own in Solo vs AI mode.
Setup: Open taboosey.com on one shared device. Choose your time limit (90 seconds is the default), select a category, and set the number of rounds or leave it on Endless. Tap Start Team Game to begin — or Solo vs AI to play by yourself.
Each round:
- One player on the active team becomes the clue-giver and holds the screen so only they can see it.
- The clue-giver sees a large Target Word at the top and five Taboo Words beneath it.
- They give verbal clues to help their teammates guess the target word — without saying the target word or any of the taboo words.
- Teammates shout out guesses freely. No time limit on guesses within the round.
- Tap the scoring buttons as each word is resolved:
Correct +1 — team guessed the word
Taboo −1 — clue-giver said a forbidden word
Skip 0 — word is too hard, moving on - Keep going until the timer hits zero. The round score is totalled automatically.
- Pass the device to the other team and tap Start Next Round.
Winning: In Rounds mode, the team with the higher total score after all rounds are completed wins. In Endless mode, teams keep playing until they decide to stop — the team with more points wins.
Solo vs AI Mode
Solo vs AI is a single-player way to play Taboosey when you don't have a group. In this mode the AI is the clue-giver and you are the guesser. The AI knows a hidden target word and feeds you a stream of clues — without ever saying the word or its taboo words — while you race to guess it before the timer runs out.
Tap Solo vs AI on the home screen (under Start Team Game) to begin. Pick a time limit, rounds, and category just like a team game; Custom (AI) topics work here too.
How a Solo Round Works
- A card is drawn and you see the number of words in the answer at the top — one underline per word (e.g. a two-word phrase shows two blanks).
- The AI posts an opening clue, then keeps adding new clues at a natural pace, reacting to what you guess.
- Type a guess and press Guess, or tap the microphone and say it out loud.
- You get instant feedback: a correct word fills its blank in green; close guesses get hints like "right idea — try the plural," and for phrases the game tells you which word you nailed.
- Each word you solve scores +1. The next card loads automatically.
- Stuck? Type or say "skip", or tap Skip, to move on for no penalty. If the AI runs out of useful clues it will eventually give up on a word and reveal it — but it gives you a few seconds with its final clue first.
Voice Input — Speak Your Guesses
Tap the mic button next to the guess box to turn on continuous listening. Just say your guesses naturally — each phrase is submitted automatically, and you can keep talking across cards without tapping again. Tap the mic again to stop. Voice input works in Chrome and Edge on desktop and in the Taboosey Android app; if your browser doesn't support speech recognition, the mic button simply doesn't appear.
Spoken Clues — Let the AI Read to You
Tick 🔊 Speak clues aloud below the guess box to have each clue read out in a natural voice, with a speed slider to set how fast it talks. This makes Solo mode playable hands-free and eyes-free — great for the car or while doing something else. If you use spoken clues together with voice input, headphones are recommended so the microphone doesn't hear the clue being read; without them, Taboosey still filters out the clue words it spoke so they don't get entered as guesses.
Solo Tips
- Guess freely and often — wrong guesses cost nothing and actually help, because the AI uses them to steer its next clue toward what you're missing.
- For phrases, lock in the words you do know; the filled-in blanks narrow down the rest.
- If a clue is confusing, wait a beat — the AI's next clue usually comes at it from a different angle.
- Use Pause timer while typing (on by default) so long answers don't eat your clock; with voice input the timer runs at natural speaking speed.
Setting Up Your Game
Time limit: The default is 90 seconds per round. Shorter times (30–45 seconds) create a frantic, high-energy game. Longer times give beginners more breathing room. You can change the time limit between rounds from the turn screen without resetting scores.
Rounds: Choose 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 rounds, or leave it on Endless. One full round = each team plays once. A 3-round game means each team gets 3 turns total. When all rounds are complete, Taboosey automatically shows the final scores and announces the winner.
Category: Pick a built-in category that suits your group, or choose Custom (AI) and type any topic. You can switch categories between rounds — great for mixing things up mid-game.
Resetting: Use the Reset button on the turn screen to clear all scores and start fresh. This does not reset the smart deck memory — so words you have already played will not come back.
Category Guide
Not sure which category to pick? Here is what to expect from each one:
Clue-Giving Strategies
The difference between a good and great Taboosey player is almost entirely about clue-giving. Here are the techniques used by experienced players:
Use Synonyms First
The fastest path to the target word is an immediate synonym or alternate meaning. If the word is "Bark," go straight to "what covers the outside of a tree trunk." Your taboo words are usually the most obvious synonyms, which forces you to reach for the second-best option — often the one your team will actually guess.
Fill in the Blank
Embed the target word into a well-known phrase or sentence with a blank: "The famous spy is James ___." or "___ is the capital of France." This technique is fast, precise, and works especially well for names, places, and culturally recognisable words.
The Opposite Method
If the target is "Cold," say "the opposite of hot." If the target is "Tall," say "the opposite of short." Simple, fast, and almost never blocked by taboo words. Works best on adjectives and antonym-rich nouns.
Category Narrowing
Start broad, then narrow down: "It's a type of fruit. It's tropical. It's yellow and curved." Leading your team through a funnel of categories is systematic and keeps them engaged even when the first clue doesn't land.
Association Chains
List things closely associated with the target: "You see it at the beach, kids build them, it's made of tiny grains..." This works well for concrete nouns. The more specific and vivid your associations, the faster your team will land on the answer.
Acting It Out
Taboosey does not prohibit gestures. If the word is "Juggle," mime juggling. If it is "Swim," do the arm motion. Physical acting dramatically accelerates guessing for action words and verbs — and it makes the game much more entertaining for spectators.
What to Avoid
Watch out for close misses: saying "bark" when the target is "Barking" may still count as a taboo violation depending on your house rules. Avoid rhyming clues if the word is on the taboo list. And never spell out the word — it is technically against the rules and takes too long anyway.
Hosting Game Night Tips
Taboosey is designed for spontaneous play anywhere — but a few simple preparations make the experience noticeably better:
Teams and Player Count
Four to eight players is the sweet spot. Below four, the audience of guessers is too small and the game loses energy. Above eight, consider rotating the clue-giver role within a team so everyone stays involved. For very large groups (10+), split into three teams and have two teams compete against each other while the third watches.
Device Setup
Use a phone with a bright screen. The clue-giver should hold the device close to their face, away from teammates, so only they see the word. On a table, prop the phone facing outward using a phone stand. Sound effects are enabled by default — keep them on if background noise is low; mute them with the speaker icon if you are in a noisy environment.
House Rules
The default rules work well as-is, but common house rules include: allowing one skip per round without penalty, requiring the clue-giver to stand up, allowing teammates only three guesses per word, or switching clue-givers mid-round after a taboo violation. Agree on house rules before the game starts.
How strict to be on guesses? Decide up front whether a near miss counts. Most groups play lenient — if a teammate says "running" when the word is "run," or "United States" for "USA," the clue-giver taps Correct and moves on, since the team clearly knew the answer. Competitive groups may instead require an exact match to the target word before scoring the point. Pick whichever keeps your table having fun; just apply the same standard to both teams. (In Solo vs AI mode an exact match is required to score, but the game gives you a hint when you're one small step away — for example "right idea — try the plural.")
Category Selection for Mixed Groups
If your group spans different ages or backgrounds, "Animals" and "Food & Drink" are the most universally accessible. "Technology" and "Places" can disadvantage players who aren't enthusiasts in those areas. Custom (AI) topics can be tailored to exactly your group — "Disney movies," "Olympic sports," or "things in a kitchen" — making every game feel personal.
Keeping Score for Larger Groups
Taboosey handles the score tracking automatically. The round history is visible on the turn screen between rounds — tap any row to see the detailed word-by-word breakdown of who got what. No pen and paper needed.
Custom AI Category: Tips & Tricks
The Custom (AI) feature is one of the things that makes Taboosey genuinely different from any physical word game. Here is how to get the most out of it:
Be Specific With Your Topic
The more specific your topic, the better the deck quality. "Music" generates generic words. "90s pop music" generates words like "Backstreet Boys," "Walkman," and "CD single." "Italian food" is good; "Neapolitan pizza ingredients" is excellent. Specificity gives the AI clear creative constraints.
Topics That Work Exceptionally Well
- Movie or TV franchises: "Marvel superheroes," "The Office characters," "Harry Potter spells"
- Historical eras: "Ancient Rome," "World War II," "1980s technology"
- Cuisines: "Japanese food," "Mexican street food," "French pastries"
- Sports: "Basketball terms," "Olympics events," "Soccer positions"
- Pop culture: "Taylor Swift songs," "Netflix original shows," "90s video games"
What Happens If the Topic Is Too Broad or Too Niche
Very broad topics ("things") produce random, unrelated words. Very niche topics ("left-handed southpaw pitchers from the 1940s") may produce repetitive or nonsensical cards. If the first batch does not feel right, simply type a more refined topic — the AI generates a fresh deck immediately.
Pre-Loading
As soon as you type a topic, Taboosey begins fetching cards in the background. By the time you start the round, a full deck is usually ready. If you see "Generating..." briefly when the round starts, the AI is catching up — the timer pauses automatically until cards are available.