Two Truths And A Lie: 80 Ideas And How To Win At It

Finding the perfect two truths and a lie ideas is the secret to running a brilliant icebreaker that gets everyone talking without any awkwardness. Whether you need funny prompts for friends or professional options for work, our ultimate list of two truths and a lie examples will help you host the perfect game. We also share clever strategies to make your lies completely undetectable.

Two truths and a lie is the best icebreaker there is, because everyone learns two real things about a person and nobody has to perform.

Here are ready-made ideas by setting, plus the actual strategy - because most people write a lie that's far too exciting.

How to write a lie nobody catches

Crafting a lie that no one can spot requires a bit of strategy. Many people make the mistake of making their lie far too exciting, which immediately gives it away. To craft a good two truths and a lie, the trick is to keep your falsehood incredibly mundane or use a real event that happened to someone else so you can answer questions with convincing detail.

• The classic mistake: the lie is the most interesting one. Make it the dullest.
• Best lie: a small, boring adjustment to something true. 'I've been to Portugal three times' when it was twice.
• Second best: a true story that happened to someone else, told as yours. You'll have the detail to survive questions.
• Make one of your truths genuinely unbelievable. People will spend the whole round on that.
• Say all three in the same tone, same length, same amount of detail. People catch lies by the extra words.
• Don't smile at your own lie. Everyone does this and everyone notices.

How to catch someone else's

Spotting a falsehood during a game of two truths and a lie is all about paying attention to the smaller details. Instead of grilling someone on their most outrageous claim, focus your questions on the boring statements. Real memories are full of messy, irrelevant details, while made-up stories are often suspiciously tidy and delivered far too quickly.

• Ask a follow-up question about the boring one, not the exciting one.
• Ask for a detail they wouldn't have prepared - what was the weather, who else was there, what did it cost.
• Real memories come with irrelevant detail. Invented ones are tidy.
• Watch for the one they say fastest.
• If they've told a story before, the lie is usually the one you've never heard them mention.

Ideas for work and icebreakers

Introducing a new team or breaking the ice at a corporate event can sometimes feel a bit stiff. These professional two truths and a lie examples are designed to keep things light, engaging and completely work-safe. They are perfect for helping colleagues discover surprising facts about each other without sharing anything too personal.

• I've worked in three different countries.
• I once had a job I quit on the first day.
• I've met someone from the royal family.
• I can drive a tractor.
• I've never had a cup of coffee.
• I once appeared in a local newspaper.
• I studied something completely unrelated to this job.
• I've been to over twenty countries.
• I used to be in a band.
• I have a qualification nobody here would guess.
• I've done a parachute jump.
• I once cooked for more than fifty people.
• I speak a second language badly.
• I've run a marathon.
• I once got locked in a building overnight.

Ideas for parties and friends

If you are gathering with mates, you will want some two truths and a lie ideas funny enough to spark hilarious debates and friendly interrogation. The best prompts for social gatherings are those that sound slightly outrageous but are just believable enough to keep your friends guessing. Here are some brilliant options to try at your next get-together.

• I've broken the same bone twice.
• I've been on television.
• I once got a tattoo on a whim.
• I've met three people famous enough that you'd know the name.
• I've never seen a film everybody's seen.
• I once drove the wrong way down a motorway slip road.
• I've been thrown out of a museum.
• I can juggle.
• I once won money on a scratch card.
• I've slept in an airport.
• I've eaten something I'd rather not name.
• I once queued six hours for something.
• I've been in a music video.
• I've had food poisoning three times from the same place.
• I once lived somewhere with no hot water for a month.

Ideas for children and school

Playing games in the classroom or at a birthday party is a fantastic way to build confidence in young pupils. These simple 2 truths and a lie ideas are tailored specifically for kids, focusing on easy, relatable topics like pets, hobbies and school achievements. They are easy to understand and guaranteed to get the whole group giggling.

• I have a pet that isn't a cat or a dog.
• I can touch my nose with my tongue.
• I've been on a plane more than five times.
• I once won a race.
• My middle name is unusual.
• I've been to Scotland.
• I can ride a horse.
• I've had stitches.
• I can swim a whole length underwater.
• I've eaten a whole pizza by myself.
• I've been in a school play.
• I have more than ten cousins.
• I can name every country in Europe.
• I've built something out of wood.
• I once found something valuable.

Ideas for a video call or remote team

Keeping remote teams engaged online can be a challenge, but using some clever two truths one lie ideas is a brilliant way to shake up your next virtual meeting. For video calls, the best prompts are highly visual and easy to picture. Here are some excellent ideas to help your remote colleagues connect from afar.

• Keep them work-safe and visual - things people can picture.
• I've worked from more than three countries.
• There's something in this room that's over a hundred years old.
• I've been doing this job longer than anyone here.
• I once had a completely different career.
• I've never worked in an office full time.
• I have a pet you've all heard on a call.
• I've met one person on this call before, in person.
• I started this job in the same week as someone else here.
• I live within a mile of where I grew up.
• On a call, use the chat for guesses submitted at once, or the first person to speak sways everyone.

Key things to remember

• Make the lie the boring one.
• Same tone, same length, all three.
• Ask follow-ups about the dull statement.

Frequently asked questions

What are good two truths and a lie ideas?

Make the lie a small, dull adjustment to something true - 'I've been to Portugal three times' when it was twice - and make one truth genuinely unbelievable. People always chase the exciting one.

How do you win at two truths and a lie?

Never make the lie the most interesting statement. Say all three with the same tone, length and level of detail, and don't smile at your own lie. When guessing, ask a follow-up about the boring one.

How do you spot a lie in two truths and a lie?

Ask for an irrelevant detail - the weather, who else was there, what it cost. Real memories come with untidy extra detail, invented ones are neat. The one they say fastest is often the lie.

How do you play two truths and a lie on a video call?

Everyone types their guess into the chat but only sends on a count of three, so nobody is swayed by the first person to speak. Keep statements visual and work-safe.

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