The Chosen One / The Secret Agent

Aims of the tool

Foster better connections between participants.
Encourage creativity in communication.
Improve personal communication skills.
Promote enjoyment and a sense of fun.

Description of the tool

Rules:

Participants form a circle.
A Leader is chosen.
The Leader selects a common word, which is then shared with all participants except one or two individuals who are designated as the Chosen One(s) or Secret Agent(s) by the Leader.
The Chosen One(s) or Secret Agent(s) are unaware of the common word but are informed of their role to blend in with the other participants and describe the common word.
Each participant, starting with the designated person chosen by the Leader, describes the common word using only one word. The chosen starting person can be selected by the Leader.
The Chosen One(s) or Secret Agent(s) attempt to guess the common word based on the previous one-word descriptions provided by other participants.
At the end of the round (full circle), participants vote on who they believe is the Chosen One/Secret Agent.
If the group's decision is correct and they voted for the Chosen One/Secret Agent, the game ends.
If the group's decision is incorrect, the participant they selected is eliminated, and a new round begins.
The game continues until all the Chosen One(s) or Secret Agent(s) are identified and eliminated.
Troubleshooting:

To prevent confusion, the Leader should ensure that the common word is clearly communicated to participants. Whispering the word to each participant individually is a common method, but showing the word on a piece of paper or a phone can also be used, although this method excludes visually impaired participants.
The number of Chosen One(s) or Secret Agent(s) can vary based on the group size. Placing them in a position within the circle where they receive at least three previous descriptions is recommended to facilitate their blending in and guessing the common word.
Participants should pay attention to and remember who said each one-word description to quickly identify discrepancies and determine the Chosen One/Secret Agent.
In larger groups, creativity may be challenged when providing one-word descriptions for commonly known words. To avoid repetition, participants may struggle to find unique descriptions. Consider adapting the game for larger groups or selecting less commonly known words.