Pictionary: How a Seattle Waiter Invented the Drawing Game in 1985 — Rules and Word Ideas
Robert Angel sketched the idea for Pictionary in 1981 and published it in 1985 with $35,000 and a print run of 1,000 copies. The story, the rules, what counts as cheating and 100 words to draw.
Pictionary is charades with a pen: draw the word, no letters allowed, and pray your teammates see a "giraffe" in your lopsided horse. It has sold tens of millions of copies, but the idea is so simple that a pad of paper and a phone timer give you the full experience.
Where does Pictionary come from?
Pictionary has a named inventor and a classic garage-startup story. Robert Angel came up with the concept in 1981 as a young waiter — he later admitted "I had no idea what I was doing" — and in 1985 he and two partners, Terry Langston and Gary Everson, founded Angel Games Inc., raised $35,000 and printed 1,000 copies. They sold 6,000 games that first year at $35 each. By 1987 three million copies had sold and retail sales reached $75 million; by 1989 thirteen million; by 1994 thirty-two million games across sixty countries and forty-five languages. The rights were licensed to Western Publishing in 1986 and have since passed between the big toy companies, but the game itself has barely changed.
What you need
- Paper and pens, or a whiteboard.
- Words and a timer. Our Pictionary page deals secret words in Easy, Medium and Hard, runs the clock and keeps the team score; Pictionary for Kids uses picture-friendly words for younger artists.
How to play Pictionary
- Split into two or more teams. Each team needs a pad, a pen and a place to gather.
- The artist takes a secret word without showing it and starts the timer.
- The artist draws. No letters, no numbers, no speaking, no acting — the pen does all the work.
- Teammates shout guesses. The artist can nod, shake their head, circle a part of the drawing or draw more.
- A correct guess before time runs out scores a point. Rotate the artist and keep score to an agreed target.
What counts as cheating
- Writing any letter or number.
- Miming or pointing at things in the room.
- Drawing an ear to say "sounds like" is allowed by most families — decide before you start.
- Pre-agreed symbols with your team ("a star means famous") — no.
100 words to draw
Easy: sun, cat, house, tree, car, fish, apple, star, hat, cup, ball, book, boat, bed, bird, clock, moon, flower, dog, key, egg, shoe, kite, snake, cake.
Medium: pirate, volcano, penguin, rainbow, dentist, castle, dinosaur, guitar, birthday, fireworks, snowman, spider, sandwich, tractor, elephant, camping, telescope, waterfall, skeleton, lighthouse, submarine, mermaid, roller coaster, treasure, magician.
Hard: jealousy, gravity, Monday, nostalgia, deadline, whisper, allergy, democracy, hiccup, karaoke, procrastination, bankruptcy, déjà vu, jet lag, gossip, insomnia, sarcasm, teamwork, tourist, echo, silence, lullaby, midnight, infinity, luck.
Phrases: raining cats and dogs, piece of cake, couch potato, break the ice, hit the road, spill the beans, cold feet, chain reaction, wild goose chase, under the weather, big cheese, early bird, night owl, brain freeze, bookworm, hot potato, time flies, a fish out of water, head in the clouds, over the moon, butterflies in your stomach, once in a blue moon, kick the bucket, elephant in the room, cat nap.
Tips for hosts
- Big paper, thick pens: the whole team must see the drawing.
- Let bad artists draw first — their attempts set a forgiving tone.
- Play an "all play" round where every team draws the same word at once.
Play Pictionary now — free, no sign-up
A Pictionary word generator with Easy, Medium and Hard words and a round timer. The artist peeks at the word, hides it, and the clock starts.
Frequently asked questions
Who invented Pictionary?
Robert Angel, who came up with the idea in 1981 while working as a waiter and published the game in 1985 with two partners through Angel Games Inc. after raising $35,000 for a first print run of 1,000 copies.
Can you write letters in Pictionary?
No. Letters, numbers and symbols are banned. Drawing a shape that looks like a letter by accident is fine; writing "CAT" is not.
How long should a round be?
Sixty seconds is standard. Give children ninety and hard words two minutes.