How to play Spiky

Spiky is a free bluffing trivia game for friends. Each round there is a question, one real answer, and a pile of fake ones written by the players. Your job is to find the truth and get everyone else to believe your lie. It plays in the browser, so all you need is a phone and a group chat.

1. Set up a room

The host opens playspiky.com and taps Create. They get a 4-letter room code and a link to share.
Everyone else opens the link or taps Join and types the code. There is nothing to download and no account needed.
The host picks the number of rounds (3, 5, 7 or 10), the timer speed and the categories, then starts the game when everyone is ready.
Free rooms fit 2 to 4 players. Gold Cactus rooms fit up to 12.

2. Pick a category

At the start of each round one player chooses the category from a short list. The turn moves around the group, so everyone gets to pick.

3. Answer the question

Everyone types an answer before the timer runs out. What happens next depends on whether you were right:

You got it right: keep it secret. You now write a bluff, a fake answer that sounds true, to trap the other players.
You got it wrong: that is fine. Your guess is added to the vote as one of the options, and it can still fool people.

4. Vote

The real answer is shuffled in with the players' wrong guesses, their bluffs, and a few decoys. Everyone votes for the one they think is real.

5. Reveal and score

+2 points if you vote for the real answer.
+1 point for every player who votes for your answer or your bluff.

The reveal shows who fell for whose answer. After the last round the player with the most points wins. Ties go to a Sudden Death bonus round.

An example round

The category is Flags and the question shows a flag. Sara knows it is Peru, so she writes the bluff "Bolivia". Omar guesses "Colombia", which is wrong, so "Colombia" joins the vote. In the vote, Lina picks "Bolivia" and Omar picks "Peru". Omar scores 2 for finding the truth, and Sara scores 1 because Lina fell for her bluff.

Tips for better bluffs

Match the style of the real answer: same length, same spelling style, same kind of thing.
Pick something close but wrong. A neighbouring country beats a silly joke.
If you were wrong, your guess is already a bluff. Plausible wrong guesses score too.
Watch who keeps falling for which kind of answer, and aim for them.

Frequently asked questions

How many players do you need to play Spiky?

At least 2. Free rooms hold up to 4 players. A Gold Cactus host can open rooms for up to 12.

Does everyone need an account?

No. Players just open the link or enter the 4-letter room code and pick a nickname. Signing in is optional and only needed to keep your stats or to subscribe.

What happens if I guess the right answer?

Nobody sees it. Instead you are asked to write a fake answer, a bluff, that will be shown to everyone else during the vote. Every player who falls for it gives you a point.

What happens if I guess wrong?

Your wrong guess is not wasted. It quietly becomes one of the answers in the vote, and if other players pick it, you still score a point for each of them.

How long does a game take?

A 5-round game usually takes about 10 minutes. The host can choose 3, 5, 7 or 10 rounds and how fast the timer runs.

What if two players tie for first place?

Spiky plays a Sudden Death bonus round to break the tie, up to 3 of them. If players are still tied after that, they share the win.

Play Spiky free →