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Table 06 — Colour · words and instinct

PALETTE

2-8 players co-op about 10 min
Match the colour with one phrase
Open a room See all the tables

How to play

  1. Writing the phrase
    1

    Only the describer sees which of the nine similar colours is glowing. They sum it up in one phrase.

    Writing the phrase
  2. Picking a colour
    2

    Everyone else reads the phrase and picks the colour they think the describer meant.

    Picking a colour
  3. Checking the answers
    3

    An Exact match scores 3 points, and a neighbouring colour is Close for 1. Everyone's points add up to the team score.

    Checking the answers
PALETTE at a glance
Players2 to 8
FormatCo-op
On your ownNot available
LengthAbout 10 minutes
PriceFree · no sign-up · no install
How to play

How a game goes

A wall of nearly identical colours, and one player who can see which is the answer. They describe it in a single phrase — and everyone else has only that to go on. An exact match scores 3, a neighbouring shade scores 1. The colours are shuffled per player, so “third from the left” means nothing.

PALETTE gameplay screen
Fig.  PALETTE · playroom-game.com/palette/en
01

One player sees the answer

The describer, and only the describer, sees which square is glowing. Everyone else sees the same wall of colours with nothing marked.

02

Describe it in one phrase

Say what you see. “Ripe tomato red.” “The shallows on a clear day.” Numbers are not allowed in the phrase.

03

Everyone picks

With only that phrase, each player taps one colour and locks it in. The grid is shuffled differently for every player, so positions give nothing away.

04

Open together

An exact match is 3 points, a square directly above, below or beside it is 1. The describer changes every round, and the five-round total earns the team a title.

Talking it over

  • Every square has a number, and the numbers are the same for everyone
  • So you can say “I think it is number 4” out loud and compare
  • Positions differ per player, so a number gives away nothing about where it sits
  • The describer's phrase itself may not contain numbers

Before you start

  • This table is about telling very close colours apart
  • If someone finds that hard, talk in numbers instead
  • Or pick another table — nobody should have to squint to keep up
  • 2 players works, but it comes alive from 4 upwards
Tips

Tips for winning
01Name a thing, not a colour“Turmeric” lands better than “yellowish orange.”
02Say how much, not just what“A thin coffee” says more than “brown.”
03Neighbours score tooClose is worth a point. Do not freeze trying to be exact.
04Talk in numbersSaying a square number out loud is fair game and often unblocks the team.
FAQ

Common questions

How many people play PALETTE?

Two to eight. Everyone joins with the same four-letter room code.

Can I play on a phone?

Yes. It runs in any browser on a phone, tablet or computer. It is free, with no sign-up and nothing to install.

Can we play over a call?

Yes, and it is better that way. The game is a web page, so Zoom, Discord or a group call all work alongside it.

Is it hard if you find colours difficult to tell apart?

It can be. Every square is numbered and the numbers are shared, so you can talk in numbers. If that is still awkward, another table may suit better.

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