Was’n das?

About this board game

Was’n das? is a 2005 guessing game for 4–9 players, with a playing time of approximately 45 minutes. Each player takes a turn using a collection of ordinary objects to make another player guess an answer from a list of five.

The available objects can include a pebble, a toothbrush, a fork, a lighter, a toy soldier and a die, along with two or three other items. The challenge is to use these simple things to communicate an answer without simply stating it.

A sample list of possible answers includes familiar stories and characters such as:

• Snow White and the seven Dwarves
• The Sleeping Beauty
• Little Red Riding Hood
• The Brave Little Tailor
• Cinderella

At first, it may seem impossible that a handful of unrelated objects can successfully convey something as specific as a fairy tale. Yet the game’s central appeal is that this unlikely approach works wonderfully, inviting players to discover unexpected connections between the objects and the answers.

Was’n das? belongs to the same kind of inventive experience as Wat und Dat, another game described as fantastic. Its appeal comes from the contrast between the simplicity of the materials and the surprising effectiveness of the clues they can create.

With its compact set of everyday items, rotating turns and five-answer guessing format, Was’n das? offers a playful test of interpretation and communication for a group of 4–9 players.