Trash Talk

About this board game

Trash Talk is a word-association game for 2–8 players that takes about 45 minutes, in which raccoons communicate by secretly matching objects to words.

At the start of each round, three word cards are revealed. Each player or team secretly assigns the same three objects to those words, using an assortment of odd items included in the box. A plastic plant, for example, might best match “double,” “dream,” or “sharp.”

The challenge is not simply choosing an object that fits a word. Everyone must make the same three associations without seeing the other side’s choices. Once all selections are locked in, the objects are revealed and the match is judged.

• Reveal three word cards.
• Secretly assign three objects to those words.
• Reveal the choices and check whether all three objects match.

If the selections match all three objects, those cards are set aside. A fourth object is added, new cards are laid out, and play continues with a larger matching challenge. If the group does not match, it tries again with three new cards.

A second failure means the game is lost, so every round matters. To win, players must successfully work their way up to matching ten objects with ten cards. Trash Talk turns unusual items and flexible word meanings into a focused test of shared thinking, with each successful round raising the stakes.

Whether played individually or in teams, Trash Talk centers on one key question: can everyone interpret the words and objects in exactly the same way?