Two Truths and a Lie is one of the most durable party games ever invented, and it translates beautifully to work meetings. The premise is simple: three statements, one is false, and the room has to spot the lie.
The classic icebreaker version asks people to invent two true facts and one lie about themselves — which is fun but puts people on the spot and can get too personal for a work setting. The browser version solves that by providing the statements, so everyone competes on attention and common sense instead of personal disclosure.
Why it works in meetings
The game has three strengths that make it meeting-ready:
- It rewards attention. Spotting the lie means actually reading and thinking about all three statements, which wakes the room up.
- It is simultaneous. Everyone picks the lie at the same time from their device, so no round-robin pressure.
- It creates great discussion. When the room is split 50/50 on which statement is the lie, the reveal becomes a shared moment that generates conversation.
The live scoreboard adds a layer of friendly competition that keeps the energy high through all 8-10 rounds.
How to play Two Truths and a Lie at work
- Open Two Truths and a Lie and create a room.
- Share the link in the meeting chat.
- Run 5-8 rounds. Each round shows three statements.
- Everyone picks the statement they think is the lie.
- The answer reveals and the scoreboard updates.
- For a retro or social, run 10 rounds and let the room react after each reveal.
The host controls the pace, and anyone can join with just a nickname — no accounts, no downloads.
30 example rounds
Science and nature
- Water freezes at 0°C / The Earth orbits the Sun / Humans can breathe underwater without equipment (the lie).
- Sound travels through air / Light travels faster than sound / Sound travels fastest in a vacuum (the lie).
- The sun rises in the east / The moon produces its own light / Water boils at 100°C at sea level (the lie: the moon reflects light).
- Humans have 206 bones as adults / The heart has four chambers / The human body has 100 bones (the lie).
- Bees make honey / Silk comes from silkworms / Wool comes from fish (the lie).
- Plants need sunlight to grow / Trees release oxygen / Fish can breathe out of water indefinitely (the lie).
Geography
- Paris is the capital of France / London is in England / Sydney is the capital of Australia (the lie).
- The Nile is a famous river / The Sahara is a desert in Africa / The Amazon is a small island in Europe (the lie).
- Mount Everest is very tall / The Pacific is the largest ocean / The Eiffel Tower is in Rome (the lie).
- Japan is an island nation / Canada is north of the USA / Brazil is in Europe (the lie).
- The Great Wall is in China / The Statue of Liberty is in New York / The Pyramids are in Italy (the lie).
Work and everyday
- Taking notes helps memory / Regular breaks improve focus / Skipping sleep improves productivity (the lie).
- Backing up files protects data / Strong passwords improve security / Sharing passwords with everyone is best practice (the lie).
- Clear communication helps teams / Deadlines help organize work / Ignoring messages always speeds things up (the lie).
- A calendar helps you track meetings / A to-do list helps organize tasks / A good plan guarantees zero problems (the lie).
- Video calls are common for remote work / A good internet connection helps video calls / A broken microphone improves video calls (the lie).
Health and lifestyle
- Drinking water is good for you / Exercise strengthens the body / Sleeping one hour a night is enough for adults (the lie).
- Eating vegetables is healthy / Fruits contain vitamins / Eating only candy is a balanced diet (the lie).
- Washing hands reduces germs / Brushing teeth is good hygiene / Skipping meals forever is healthy (the lie).
- Deep breathing can reduce stress / Music can improve mood / Staying angry all the time is the healthiest choice (the lie).
- Reading before bed can help sleep / A dark room helps sleep / Coffee right before bed helps you sleep better (the lie).
Fun and general knowledge
- Dogs can learn tricks / Cats purr / Elephants can fly (the lie).
- A bicycle has two wheels / A triangle has three sides / A square has five sides (the lie).
- Honey is made by bees / Milk comes from cows / Bread grows on trees (the lie).
- A guitar has strings / A drum is played by hitting it / A flute makes sound by being thrown (the lie).
- Rabbits hop / Turtles have shells / Kangaroos live in the Arctic (the lie).
- The sky looks blue during the day / Stars shine at night / The grass is always purple (the lie).
Tech
- Computers process data / The internet connects computers / A mouse can read your mind (the lie).
- A password protects your account / Updates can fix software bugs / Viruses always help your computer run faster (the lie).
- Screens display images / Speakers play sound / A printer can cook your food (the lie).
- A phone can send messages / A tablet has a touchscreen / A calculator can make coffee (the lie).
Using Two Truths and a Lie in a retro
Two Truths and a Lie is an excellent retrospective game warm-up. Run 3-5 rounds at the start of a sprint review or project retro. The game gets the room thinking, participating, and laughing — which is the ideal state before asking people to reflect honestly on the sprint.
The key is to keep the game short and transition cleanly: "That was our warm-up. Now let us look at what the sprint actually felt like." The game loosens the room without replacing the retro.
Related games
- Retrospective games for more retro-friendly formats.
- Team meeting games for games that are easy to run.
- Psychology of play at work for why games improve meetings.
Start your next retro or team social with a Two Truths and a Lie room → — spotting the lie has never been this fun.