Just One
COOPERATIVE WORD-GUESSING PARTY GAME (2018) by LUDOVIC ROUDY + BRUNO SAUTTER, published by REPOS PRODUCTION. 3-7 players cooperatively help ONE guesser identify a mystery word by each writing ONE clue on a small dry-erase board — but IDENTICAL CLUES CANCEL OUT before shown. Won SPIEL DES JAHRES 2019 (German Game of the Year — mainstream award, biggest game prize). Considered THE MODERN CLASSIC party word game + benchmark cooperative party. 20 min. HELD BGG top-100 party.
What is Just One?
JUST ONE is a COOPERATIVE WORD-GUESSING PARTY GAME (2018) designed by LUDOVIC ROUDY + BRUNO SAUTTER (France), published by REPOS PRODUCTION (Belgium). 3-7 PLAYERS cooperatively help ONE GUESSER identify a MYSTERY WORD by each writing ONE ONE-WORD CLUE on a small dry-erase board — but IDENTICAL CLUES CANCEL OUT before being shown to guesser. Simple, elegant, forces creativity. WON SPIEL DES JAHRES 2019 (GERMAN GAME OF THE YEAR — mainstream award, biggest game prize) — the FIRST cooperative game to win Spiel des Jahres. Widely considered THE MODERN CLASSIC party word game + benchmark cooperative party game. HELD BGG TOP-100 PARTY since release. 20 MIN PER GAME. GAMEPLAY: 13 ROUNDS (one per card in draw stack). Each round: (1) GUESSER draws a card + picks 1 of 5 numbered words (blindly, others see); (2) All non-guessers see the mystery word; (3) Each writes ONE ONE-WORD CLUE on their dry-erase board; (4) Non-guessers compare clues + IDENTICAL/TOO-SIMILAR clues are ERASED before showing (this is the CLEVER TWIST); (5) Guesser sees remaining clues + guesses; (6) Score: correct = 1 win, wrong = discard NEXT card too (extra penalty), skip = keep card. AFTER 13 CARDS: score = 11-13 max. GENIUS-LEVEL 12-13; excellent 10-11; good 8-9. RECEPTION: Spiel des Jahres 2019 WINNER; Golden Geek Best Family Game 2019; BGG top-100 party consistently; considered PERFECT introduction to cooperative games for non-gamers.
Quick facts
Category
Party Games
Type
Team sport
Players
3–7
Duration
~20 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
Table for card play + dry-erase boards
Country of origin
🇫🇷 France
Estimated origin
Designed 2017-2018 Ludovic Roudy + Bruno Sautter; released 2018 Repos Production; Spiel des Jahres 2019
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
As a team, guess as many of 13 mystery words as possible via one-word clues that don't cancel out. Score based on correct guesses.
Rules
Basic rules
Guesser draws card + picks 1 of 5 words blindly
Non-guessers see the word.
Each non-guesser writes ONE ONE-WORD CLUE on their dry-erase board
Try to be helpful but distinctive.
Non-guessers compare + ERASE identical/too-similar clues
The clever cancellation twist.
Guesser sees remaining clues + guesses
1 guess only.
Score: correct = 1 win; wrong = discard next card too (penalty)
Wrong hurts double.
13 cards total per game
Score out of 13 max.
Scoring
Cooperative team score out of 13 max. Correct = 1 win; wrong = discard next card too; skip = keep card.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Correct guess | +1 win |
| Wrong guess | Discard NEXT card too (double penalty) |
| Skip | No score change; card returns |
Win condition · Team score out of 13. 12-13 = Genius; 10-11 = Excellent; 8-9 = Good.
Playing area
Called
Table for card play + dry-erase boards
Dimensions
~60×60cm
Central card draw stack + guesser's seat. Each player has small dry-erase board + marker for one-word clues.
Equipment
Just One base box
$25 USD; 110 cards (550 words), 7 dry-erase boards + markers
Just One expansion New Cards
$15; more word cards
Just One family + junior editions
Kid-friendly variants
Dry-erase boards + markers
7 boards + markers included
Word cards (110 cards, 550 words)
5 numbered words per card
Strategies
Avoid obvious first clues
Common associations = cancellation. Think creative.
Personal in-jokes work
Group-specific references less likely to collide.
Not too obscure though
Guesser needs SOMETHING to work with.
Multi-syllable = harder to duplicate
Simple words like 'red' too often duplicated.
Terminology
- Guesser
- Rotating player who guesses mystery word.
- One-word clue
- Written on dry-erase board; must be single word.
- Cancellation
- Identical/similar clues erased before shown to guesser.
- Skip
- Guesser passes; card returns (no penalty).
- Wrong guess
- Costs 2 cards (this + next discarded).
Major competitions
Spiel des Jahres 2019 WINNER (first coop game to win)
annual · Germany · since 1978
Golden Geek Best Family Game 2019
annual · worldwide · since 2019
BGG top-100 party consistently
ongoing · worldwide · since 2018
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Repos Production (publisher)
Founded 2004 · Belgium
Ludovic Roudy + Bruno Sautter (designers)
Founded 2018 · France
Spiel des Jahres jury
Founded 1978 · Germany
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Ludovic Roudy (France) — Co-designer
- Bruno Sautter (France) — Co-designer
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Buy Just One ($25)
Instant learning; play immediately.
Frequently asked
What is Just One?+
COOPERATIVE WORD-GUESSING PARTY GAME (2018) by Ludovic Roudy + Bruno Sautter, published by Repos Production. 3-7 players help ONE guesser identify a mystery word by each writing ONE clue — but IDENTICAL CLUES CANCEL OUT. WON SPIEL DES JAHRES 2019 (German Game of the Year — first coop game to win). Considered THE modern classic party word game. 20 min.
Sources & provenance
- Repos Production — Just One— Repos
- BoardGameGeek — Just One— BGG
- Wikipedia — Just One— Wikipedia