Spectrum — rules, clue tactics, and how to play
Spectrum is a Wavelength-style team game for 4–16 players in which one player secretly sees where a target sits on a sliding scale between two opposites and must give a single-phrase clue that guides their team to dial in the exact position.
- Players
- 4–16 players
- Length
- ~20 minutes
- Type
- Team-based
- Type
- Relaxed
Runs in your browser · no download · no account
Spectrum is a game about how well you actually think like your friends. The card shows a scale between two opposites — "Underrated ↔ Overrated", "Sounds like a Pokémon ↔ Sounds like a prescription drug" — and a hidden target sits somewhere along it. One player, the Psychic, can see where.
The Psychic gets one phrase. Not a sentence, not a number, not "a bit further left". Just a thing, placed where they believe their team will place it. If the target is at 78% toward Overrated and the Psychic says "airport lounges", their team has to work out what "airport lounges" means to that specific person.
The rival team is not idle. Before the reveal they call whether the true target is left or right of the dial, so a badly missed guess costs you twice. There are 1,500+ spectrum cards, and the arguments they cause outlast the round by a considerable margin.
Spectrum is part of
What you need
- One phone, passed between the Psychic and their team
- 4 to 16 players in two teams
- A group willing to argue about where things sit on a scale
- About 20 minutes
How to play Spectrum
Split into two teams. Each round one team is active, and one of its players is the Psychic. 🔮
The Psychic secretly peeks at where the target sits on the round's spectrum card (e.g. "Underrated ↔ Overrated") — a pair nobody understands can be swapped for a fresh one.
The Psychic says ONE phrase out loud as a clue — no numbers, no pointing, no "warmer / colder".
The rest of the team drags the dial to where they think the target hides, then locks it in. Psychic keeps a poker face. 😐
Before the reveal, the rival team calls whether the real target is LEFT or RIGHT of the dial. Correct = +1 steal point (a bullseye cancels the steal).
The reveal: bullseye = 4 pts, near = 3, close = 2, anything else = 0.
Teams alternate rounds and the Psychic rotates each turn. First team to the target score wins — ties go to overtime! ⚔️
Scoring and winning
- A bullseye is worth 4 points, near is 3, close is 2, and anything further out scores 0.
- The rival team calls left or right before the reveal. A correct call is +1 steal point.
- A bullseye cancels the steal entirely — perfect guesses cost the opposition their consolation.
- Teams alternate rounds and the Psychic rotates each turn, so everyone gives clues.
- First team to the target score wins. Ties go to overtime.
Spectrum strategy and tips
- Give a clue placed where your team will put it, not where you would put it. The Psychic's own opinion is the most common way to lose a round.
- Specific beats clever. "My brother's cooking" outperforms an abstract concept every time, because it has an actual location on the scale.
- Never give a clue that is genuinely at an extreme unless the target is genuinely at an extreme. Ends of the dial are wasted range.
- As the guessing team, argue out loud and let the Psychic keep a poker face. The Psychic cannot help you, but they cannot always help reacting either.
- As the rival team calling left or right, listen to which way the guessing team drifted while arguing. They usually overcorrect in one direction.
- You get two card swaps per round. Use them on spectrums where the two ends are not really opposites — those produce clues nobody can place.
Variants and house rules
Target score
Set how many points win the match. Ten is a good default and lands around twenty minutes.
Steal off
Turn off the rival team's left-or-right call for a gentler game. Recommended for a first play, or with a group of mixed experience.
One-word clues
House rule: the Psychic gets a single word rather than a phrase. Dramatically harder, and the good rounds become genuinely impressive.
Everyone guesses
Play cooperatively with no teams — one Psychic, everyone else dials in together, and you chase a group high score across ten rounds.
Spectrum FAQ
How do you play Spectrum?
One player on the active team is the Psychic. They secretly see where a target sits on a scale between two opposites, then say one phrase out loud. Their team drags a dial to where they think the target is and locks it in. Closer guesses score more.
Is Spectrum the same as Wavelength?
It works on the same idea — one player guides their team to a hidden point on a spectrum. This version runs on a single phone, adds a rival-team steal call, and ships 1,500+ spectrum cards.
What can the Psychic say?
One phrase, said once. No numbers, no pointing, no "warmer" or "colder", and no reacting while the team argues.
How does scoring work?
Bullseye 4 points, near 3, close 2, miss 0. The rival team earns +1 by correctly calling whether the target was left or right of the dial — unless the guess was a bullseye, which cancels it.
How many players do you need?
Four minimum so both teams have a Psychic and at least one guesser. It works well up to sixteen.
Does the Psychic rotate?
Yes, automatically. Each team cycles through its players so everyone gives clues across the match.