Here’s a periodic repost of the rules of the game for anyone interested in joining:
How does this work?
One person, the host, is thinking of someone and gives an initial (“I am B.”). Could be a real person, could be fictional, initial could start the first name, initial could start the last name, whatever. Everyone else is trying to figure out who it is. Players first ask indirect questions, usually three per post, about people with that initial (“Did you paint a picture of Venus on a giant clamshell?”) and the host answers them (“I am not Botticelli.”).
What if the host is correct?
Nothing happens.
What if the host doesn’t know the answer?
The player gets to ask a direct yes-or-no question (“Real?” “First name begins with B?” etc.). Note that direct questions can be reserved, and asked later.
Does a correct answer have to be who the player was thinking of?
If the host answers with a person who was not who the player had in mind but who still correctly fits the question–e.g. thinking of Beethoven, asking “Were you a German classical composer,” and getting the response “I am not Bach”–the question has been correctly answered and again nothing happens.
How long does this go on?
Until twenty direct questions have been answered (usually it’s best for the host to continually post an updated list.). Then players get any other earned direct questions in and people can get in one final direct guess at who it is (“Are you…”).
Whoever guesses the person correctly (whether by indirect question or final guess) gets to host the next round.
Where does the name of the game come from?
Because the person has to be reasonably notable, as least as well-known as Botticelli. That being said…
What if nobody guesses who the person is?
If it’s someone players have heard of, the host goes again. If none of the players have heard of the person, the previous host goes again.
Ooh, ooh! If I’m the host, can I go with, for example, Madonna but say “I am C” because, y’know, her last name is Ciccone…
No. We’re going by the names people are best known by to the general public, not birth names. Unless, of course, the birth name is as well-known as the stage or other current name.
What about middle names?
Middle names (and middle initials) count if the person is always referred to as such (e.g. if the letter is P then you can ask about John Philip Sousa).
What if the host does not recognise the name for the answer to an indirect question?
They can ask if anyone else does. If no player recognises that person, that direct question is forfeited.
Last post for previous game: Botticelli -- May 2026 - #413 by Elendil_s_Heir