addtruth GAME OF TRUTH AND SECRET RULES

Aims of the tool

The primary aim of this game is to teach young people and adults how to think critically and resist manipulation in a gamified format.

Specifically, the tool aims to:
a) Develop fact-checking skills and the ability to ask precise, analytical questions using the Funnel Method.
b) Demonstrate how context manipulation and clickbait headlines distort reality.
c) Train logical deduction and help players overcome confirmation bias through the mechanics of discovering secret card rules.
d) Foster analytical thinking, active listening, and resilience to disinformation in everyday communication.

Description of the tool

**THE GAME OF TRUTH AND SECRET RULES**

**NOTE** – the following game was created by young participants of our pilot workshops at the ADDTRUTH School of Critical Thinking, implemented in cooperation with the Primary School in Kozietuły – a project funded under the European Solidarity Corps from EU funds.

* **For whom:** For 2 people (great for a date, meeting a friend, or simply getting to know someone in an intriguing way!). Designed for bright minds ages 12 and up.
* **Game objective:** Be the first person to score a total of 2 points! You earn points for solving a clickbait riddle (0.5 pts) and discovering a secret card rule (0.5 pts).
* **What you need:** One deck of cards, two sheets of paper, pens, and open minds.

In the game, you take turns playing two roles: the **Game Master** (the person who creates the riddle and sets the rule) and the **Investigator** (the person who asks questions and tries to discover the truth).

**PHASE 1: PREPARATION (The Game Master's Secret Mission)**
Before you start talking, the Game Master has 5-7 minutes to secretly prepare two traps for the Investigator.

**Step A: Inventing the Secret Card Rule**
The Game Master shuffles the cards, hands a dozen or so to the Investigator (e.g., 10-15 cards), and mentally invents a logical rule dictating how the cards can be played on the table (e.g., "cards must alternate red, black, red...", "each card must be higher than the previous one", "only even numbers can be played"). Do not tell the Investigator!

**Step B: The Clickbait Factory (Create a story in 3 steps)**
Now, the Game Master creates a riddle based on their real life on their piece of paper:

1. **Recall a funny/weird life situation (must be true).** E.g., My dog ate my train ticket an hour before departure, so I didn't go on vacation.
2. **Cut the context.** Swap one key word so the sentence remains true but misleading. E.g., instead of "dog", use the word "roommate" or "household member".
3. **Create a CLICKBAIT.** Draft a dramatic sentence that sounds like a gossip portal headline. Technically, it must be true! E.g., "My own household member blatantly destroyed my property, costing me the chance for an important trip! I didn't even get mad at him." (The Investigator will immediately think of a toxic relationship with a person, not a dog!).

**PHASE 2: GAMEPLAY (The Investigation and the Funnel Method)**
The Game Master reads their Clickbait out loud. The Investigator must find out what really happened by asking questions. Here, the game combines the story with the cards!

The Investigator must ask questions wisely using the **Funnel Method** (from general to specific). Instead of shooting in the dark ("Is this household member your brother?"), ask about categories that challenge your assumption ("Is this household member even human?").

The Game Master can only answer in 4 ways:

* **YES**
* **NO**
* **DOESN'T MATTER** (when the Investigator asks about something irrelevant, e.g., ticket color).
* **FALSE ASSUMPTION!** (Super important answer! Use this when the Investigator falls into your trap. E.g., if they ask: "Did the household member apologize?", you answer: "False assumption!", because dogs don't speak!).

**THE MAGIC OF CONNECTION: How do the cards work?**
Every question asked is a chance to gain double knowledge!

* **When the Game Master answers "YES":** Kudos to the Investigator! They asked a good, accurate question. As a reward, the Game Master chooses one card from the Investigator's hand that fits their secret card rule and places it in the middle of the table (creating a correct horizontal row).
* *What if the Investigator doesn't have a matching card?* The Game Master chooses a card from their hand that does *not* fit the rule and places it vertically under the last correct card. This is a great hint for the Investigator, showing exactly which card is a wrong track!

* **When the Game Master answers "NO" (or False Assumption / Doesn't Matter):** The Investigator asked a bad question. The Game Master does not draw any card from the Investigator's hand. The Investigator learns nothing new about the secret card rule.

**PHASE 3: SCORING AND VICTORY**
During their turn, the Investigator is constantly thinking on two fronts: analyzing the clickbait story and watching the cards laid out on the table to unravel the rule.

At any moment, the Investigator can declare an attempt to solve:

* If they guess the **secret card rule** -> they get 0.5 points.
* If they guess the **true story (The Clickbait Reverse)** -> they get another 0.5 points.

After the round ends (when the Investigator guesses or gives up), you switch roles. A new round begins with a new story and a new card rule.

**The first person to score a total of 2 points wins!**

*The game was created by students of the Primary School in Kozietuły, i.e., participants of the project 2025-3-PL01-ESC30-SOL-000369961 implemented under the European Solidarity Corps funded by the European Union – the leader of the student group was Stanisław (14 years old).*