Blind Man's Buff

Blindfolded tag — one player is blindfolded and spun round, then tries to catch and identify another by touch alone.

🌤both
Photo · Wikipedia

What is Blind Man's Buff?

Blind Man's Buff (or Bluff) is a variant of tag with roots at least as far back as ancient Greece and Rome, and popular across Europe through the Middle Ages onwards. One player is blindfolded and spun three times; the others tease and dodge them. When the blindfolded player catches someone, they must identify who they've caught by touch alone to become 'It'. A staple of Victorian nursery and parlour play.

Quick facts

Category

Playground Games

Type

Individual

Players

4–15

Where played

both

Country of origin

🇬🇷 Greece

Estimated origin

Ancient Greece (played as 'Copper Mosquito'); universal European tradition since

Olympic

No

Popularity

global

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-24.verified