Trapwords

About this board game

Trapwords is a team word game for 4–8 players that takes about 45 minutes to play. Divided into two approximately equal teams, players compete in a fantasy dungeon where every successful guess brings them closer to a waiting Boss.

Each round, one player tries to describe an assigned word so their teammates can identify it. The challenge is that the opposing team secretly chooses trapwords: words the clue-giver cannot say. The clue-giver does not know which words are forbidden, so even an apparently obvious hint can trigger a trap.

This twist gives the familiar feel of a classic forbidden-word guessing game while making the guessing process much less predictable. Your opponents are actively planning the words that might derail your clue, while your own team prepares traps for them. As you progress through the dungeon, you may face more trapwords, increasing the pressure.

• Play in two competing teams.
• Describe a target word without knowing the forbidden words.
• Choose secret traps for the opposing team.
• Advance through a fantasy dungeon toward the Boss.

A clue for axe might begin with a reference to a dwarf, only for the opposing team to reveal that dwarf was a trap. A more indirect route could mention a bearded woodsman in a checkered shirt, eventually leading teammates from a chainsaw to the correct answer. Every clue becomes a balancing act between being clear enough to help your team and cautious enough to avoid the hidden minefield.

Trapwords is built around surprise, deduction, and plenty of laughter. Can you guide your team to the right word when you have no idea which words you must avoid?