Hunch Hound

What it is

Hunch Hound is a mind-reading game with a dog on the other end of it. You think of something, anything from a snack to a job to the object on your desk, and the hound asks yes or no questions until it thinks it knows. On a good day it lands the answer in nine. When it cannot, it admits defeat, asks what you were thinking of, and remembers it for next time.

How to play

Think of a thing and keep it to yourself. Press the button and answer each question with yes, no, probably, probably not or not sure. The two firm answers rule things out, the soft ones nudge, and not sure simply moves on. Press back if you misclick. When the hound has a hunch it asks outright. Confirm the guess or send it back to work. If it runs out of questions before it finds you, you win and it asks you to teach it the answer.

What makes it different

Twenty questions is an old parlor game and most digital versions are a script with a fixed order. Hunch Hound picks the question that splits what is left most evenly every single time, which is why it feels sharp rather than lucky. It also forgives one honest mistake instead of running off a cliff. The little thoughts under the dog show what it just ruled out, so you can watch it reason in real time, and the record at the top keeps score between you.

Why it is on Bored

The parlor game deserved an opponent that plays properly, so we built one. It is at its best out loud with someone else in the room, arguing about whether a hot dog is a sandwich while the hound waits.

Tips

• Answer for the ordinary version of your thing, not the one strange exception you once saw
• Use probably and probably not for the awkward cases, they nudge without ruling out
• Read the small thoughts under the hound to see what it just crossed off
• If you beat it, teach it, it remembers on this device
• Two people, one screen, and the arguments are half the game

FAQ