Outsmarted!
Outsmarted! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Registering Your Game
- Choose the device you want to use as your main host device. You'll find lots of information on how to choose the host device in the Help Center.
- Download the Outsmarted app from the App Store, Google Play, or outsmarted.com/downloads (if you're on Windows).
- Register the app using the license key found inside your game box. You only need to register the main host device - there's no need to register every device that joins a game.
Navigating the Home Screen
- New Game - Start setting up a new game
- Join Game - Enter a Join Game Code to connect to a game someone else has started
- Instructions - You're here!
- I need help - Contact support through the app
- Main menu - Explore the geniuses, player statistics and ways to play
- The Shop - A vast library of exciting add-on packs available for purchase
- Hamburger menu - Adjust your sound and profile settings, and check your inbox
- Region selector - Tap the globe icon to choose your region and language
Top tip: Be sure to set the region to your country of residence, as the game provides region-specific questions. All players receive questions based on the host's region and language, and this can't be changed once the game has started.
Setting Up the Board
When playing Outsmarted, use either the physical board (in the box) or the virtual board (in the app). With the physical board, you move game pieces manually and roll a real or in-app die (whichever you prefer). With the virtual board, you roll and move on-screen. All remote players must use the virtual board, while in-room players can choose either.
- Start by opening the board and laying it out on a flat surface.
- You can play with up to 6 individual players or 6 teams. Each in-room player or team chooses a genius miniature game piece and places it in the Start position on the board.
- A tablet stand is included in the game box to make screen sharing easier.
Top tips:
- The questions in Outsmarted appear on-screen in the app and often include sound, so it's important that all players can see and hear everything.
- You can connect up to 5 additional devices using the Join Game Code, though this is optional.
- Make sure your host device has enough battery. You'll need at least 1-2 hours of power.
Playing on the Big Screen
For the best experience, we recommend mirroring the host device to your TV. To do this, make sure your device and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Apple: Swipe to open Control Center > tap Screen Mirroring > select your Smart TV
- Windows: Settings > Display > Connect to a Wireless Display > select your TV
- Android: Use your phone's cast/mirror feature (search "cast screen" in your settings)
Setting Up Your Game
As you set up your game please tap the yellow tooltip icons for more information if you need it. Please also see the Glossary for definitions of key words and terms used in the app.
Game Mode
- Standard Game - First player to collect the required rings and conquer the Final Round wins the game
- Points Game - The player with the highest score at the end of the Final Round wins the game
Want to reuse your last setup? Tap Same as previous game.
Player Format
- Individuals - Each player competes solo
- Teams - Team up in groups of two or more. Perfect for big gatherings, kids vs adults, or quiz pros vs newbies!
Top tips:
- In team mode, one device per team works best
- If teams have mixed ages, the app automatically blends question difficulties (e.g. adult and junior). For extra fun, try splitting into age-based teams - like Kids vs Adults!
Game Duration
The total time the game takes will depend on how many players or teams are participating. However, you can control the overall length by choosing one of these options during setup:
- Short Game - Reach the Final Round after collecting 2 rings
- Longer Game - Reach the Final Round after collecting 4 rings
- Complete Game - Collect all 6 rings before you reach the Final Round
Turn Timer
The turn timer is ON by default to keep the game moving, but it's entirely optional. Turn it off if you prefer a more relaxed pace. Use it to prevent long waits, especially with big groups or players who rarely get answers wrong and could stay on their turn indefinitely. The default is Fast, but you can choose:
- Slow - More time to think
- Fast - Quicker pace (default)
- Turbo - Super speedy rounds
Bonuses and Prizes
Make the game more unpredictable by turning on bonus features. These include:
- Spin to win (standard and points games) - You might get a random prize before your turn (like free assists or direct ring access!).
- Pitfall Questions (standard games only) - True/False traps that appear without warning.
- Quiz Bomb (standard games only) - Feeling lucky? Tap the bomb to either win a prize or lose your assists!
- Grab Points (points games only) - Grab as many coins as you can before the time runs out!
- Points Jackpot (points games only) - Your chance to win big points.
Add Players
Tap Add New Player for each new person or team. You'll need to:
- Enter a name
- Choose an age group - we adjust the question difficulty based on age
- Add a photo if you wish
- Give extra question time if needed - this is useful for younger children or anyone who might need a bit more time to read the questions
- Choose number of assists - to help with tough questions or time pressure
- Select a genius game piece
Category Selection
Time to choose your question categories! For each game, you need to select six. If you'd rather not decide yourself, just tap Random selection and the app will automatically pick six from your available category library. You can also:
- Press and hold a category for one second to see more information about it.
- Check the progress bar under each pack - this shows how many questions have already been played.
- Purchase add-on categories if something catches your eye.
Top tips:
- Greyed-out packs are adult-only and can't be used if juniors are playing.
- Used packs can be replayed, but questions will repeat once completed.
- Bundle owners: Activate extra question packs by entering your emailed code, and tapping the yellow REDEEM button (top right). Packs unlock instantly for future games.
Device Connections
After selecting your categories, you'll reach the Join Game screen.
Share the Join Code with friends so they can join using the app. On mobile, the host can tap the share icon to send the code via text, WhatsApp, or email. Joining players should:
- Install or open the app
- Tap Join Game
- Enter the code
- Choose their preferred genius
Do not proceed past this point until all connecting devices / remote players have joined.
Top tips:
- It's totally free to join a game - no license key is needed.
- This process works the same whether your friends are joining the game from 5 meters or 500 miles away!
How to Play
The Basics
Turn order: The app will randomly pick who goes first.
On your turn:
- Roll the die - you can do this physically or tap the virtual die
- Move in any direction
- Answer the question that corresponds with the category color you have landed on
Board spaces:
- Colored spaces - Category questions
- Grey spaces - Roll again
- Rainbow spaces - This takes you to a 'Random' question which can be about anything at all!
- Ring spaces - These are special tiles on the board. When you land on one, tap 'Ring Question' to try and earn a ring!
Ring rules:
- You can only enter and exit rings in one direction - follow the arrows on the board.
- You don't need an exact number to land on a ring - just roll equal to or higher than the spaces needed.
- Once you're on a ring, you just need to stay there until you answer it correctly - no extra rolls needed.
Top tip: If multiple players land on the same space, that's totally fine!
Answering Questions
After landing on a space, tap the matching category and your question will appear on screen.
For standard questions, you'll see four possible answers and a countdown timer.
Need help? You can use one assist per question:
- 50/50 - Removes wrong answers to improve your chances
- +15s - Adds 15 extra seconds
- Skip - Move on to the next question
If you don't answer in time or your turn time runs out, the turn passes to the next player.
If you're on a ring space, tap Ring Question first, then choose the matching category. Ring Questions are not always in multiple choice format, so look out!
Virtual Play
Some players choose to play without the physical board at all. This might be because they are joining a game remotely, playing on holiday, or because they prefer it. If you're playing without the physical board:
- Tap VIRTUAL BOARD to open the virtual game board.
- Roll the on-screen die and select one of the highlighted game board spaces.
- After choosing a space, the matching category highlights, and your question appears.
Top tip: To keep the game running smoothly, the host stays in control at all times. They can pause or resume the game, and tap/select options for other players if needed. This is especially useful for younger kids.
The Final Round
Once a player or team collects the number of rings chosen during game setup, they will enter the Final Round!
This is a fast-paced challenge of multiple-choice questions against the clock... you must answer them ALL correctly to win the game.
If you don't succeed, don't worry - you'll get another chance on your next turn.
Device Compatibility
Outsmarted is designed to deliver a seamless and high-performance gaming experience. To ensure optimal functionality, the app requires devices that meet the following specifications.
- Supported platforms: iOS, Android, and Windows
- NOT compatible with: Chromebook, Kindle, or macOS
- System requirements: stable internet connection; iOS 16 or later, Android 10 or later, or Windows 10 or later; minimum 4GB RAM
Recommended supported devices (4GB+ RAM):
- iPhones: iPhone 11 and newer
- Android phones: released from 2019 onward with 4GB+ RAM
- Tablets (iOS and Android): iPad Pro (2018+), iPad Air (2020+), iPad Mini (2021+); Android tablets with 4GB+ RAM
Top tip: Using an incompatible or lower-performance device, particularly older tablets, may result in lag, slow response times, or other technical issues. For the best experience, we suggest playing on your most up-to-date phone or tablet.
Glossary
- Add-on categories: Exciting niche question packs to suit every interest, available for purchase in the shop.
- Assist: A helper (or lifeline) you can use during a question. Includes 50/50, Extra Time, and Skip Question.
- Core categories: The 10 question categories that come with the game, packed with 10,000 interactive, multimedia questions.
- Final Round: The fast-paced challenge of multiple-choice questions against the clock... you must answer them ALL correctly to win the game.
- Geniuses: Each game box comes with 6 genius miniatures that act as your game pieces on the board. You might see more geniuses in the app - these are additional characters available in other game editions that can be purchased online.
- Host Device: The mobile phone, tablet, or computer used to start and manage the game by a registered user.
- Join Game Code: A unique code generated when you start a new game. Share it with other players so they can join your game using their own device.
- License Key: The license key is a 16-digit code included in the game box (this may be an alphanumeric string for older versions of the game), which you use to register your copy of Outsmarted to unlock the app and all of its features. Without your license key, the Outsmarted app will be locked, only allowing you to enter a Join Game Code to join someone else's game.
- Multipack: A themed set of Question Packs available to buy in a bundle, for a reduced price.
- Question Pack or Category: A themed set of trivia questions. Choose six per game.