168 Two Truths and a Lie Ideas, Topics and Examples

Two truths and a lie is a guessing game where each player says three things about themselves: two true and one false. The group votes on which one is the lie. This page has 168 topics to build your statements around, sorted into eight categories, plus example sets, tips for writing a lie that fools everyone, and a free game that takes turns for you on one phone.

How to play

You need three or more people and one phone. It works around a table, in a classroom or on a video call.

1. Add everyone's name and pick your categories. Childhood, School, Food, Travel & places, Hobbies & skills and Family & home suit every age. Work & everyday and Bold & awkward are better for teens and adults.
2. Press Start. The screen shows whose turn it is and a topic, such as "A trip you took" or "Food you have eaten".
3. That player takes a few seconds to think, then says three short statements about the topic. Two are true and one is a lie. They should say them in a random order.
4. Everyone else can ask one quick question each. Then the group votes for the statement they think is the lie, by pointing or holding up one, two or three fingers on the count of three.
5. The player reveals the lie, and everyone who guessed right gets a point. Tap Next for the next player and a new topic.

A topic is there to help, not to box anyone in. If a player has nothing to say about "Your first pet", they can pick any topic they like instead.

Example sets

Here are four example sets to show how it works. The lie is marked at the end.

Topic: A trip you took. (1) I saw a whale from a ferry. (2) I got lost in a train station for two hours. (3) I left my passport in a taxi and got it back the same day. The lie is number 3. It works because it is a believable travel story with a happy ending.

Topic: Your childhood. (1) I had a goldfish that lived for nine years. (2) I broke my arm falling off a swing. (3) I was in a school play as a talking tree. The lie is number 2. Broken arms are common, so it sounds true, while the goldfish sounds made up but is real.

Topic: Hobbies & skills. (1) I can solve a Rubik's cube. (2) I played the drums in a school concert. (3) I have a yellow belt in karate. The lie is number 1. All three are skills the group has not seen, so nobody can easily check.

Topic: Food you have eaten (for kids). (1) I have eaten snails. (2) I once had ice cream for breakfast. (3) I do not like chocolate. The lie is number 3. Kids often guess the snails, which makes the reveal fun.

Rules and variations

• Classic scoring. Guessers get a point for spotting the lie. The storyteller gets a point for each person they fool. Play two or three rounds and add up the points.
• Two lies and a truth. Flip it: one true statement and two lies. It is harder to guess and great for groups who know each other well.
• Same topic for everyone. Everyone uses the same topic in one round. It is fun to compare answers about "A food you cannot stand".
• Team play. Split into two teams. Teams take turns telling sets, and the other team discusses and agrees on one guess.
• Written version. For big groups or meetings, everyone writes their three statements on paper first. This saves thinking time and keeps the game moving.

Tips for a good game

How to write a good lie

• Start with real details. Take a true memory and change one thing, such as the place, the number or the ending. Small changes are much harder to spot than wild stories.
• Make your truths sound strange. The best sets have one surprising truth. People will guess that one, and your quiet lie slips past.
• Match the length and tone. If two statements are short and one is long and detailed, people will notice. Keep all three about the same size.
• Avoid things the group can check. Do not lie about something your friends saw happen or something on your phone.
• Stay calm. Say all three in the same voice. Do not rush the lie or smile at it.

Hosting tips

Give everyone a minute to think before the first round. For mixed ages, stick to level 1 categories, and let younger kids whisper their lie to an adult first so they remember which one it is. For shy players, the Food and Hobbies & skills topics are easy places to start. Keep the game kind: the lie should be about yourself, never about someone else in the room.

How to play without a phone

You need nothing at all. Sit in a circle, and go around clockwise. On your turn, say your two truths and a lie, and everyone guesses. If you want topics, print the list on this page and pull one from a bowl, or let the person on your left pick a number between 1 and 168.

For a classroom or a team meeting, give everyone a sticky note or an index card. Each person writes their three statements, numbered 1 to 3. The host collects the cards, reads them out one by one, and the group guesses who wrote it as well as which statement is the lie. Keep score on a whiteboard or a sheet of paper.