A timer nobody can see
Every round lasts a random length. No countdown on screen, just ticking that gets faster in three stages.
Independent pass-the-phone word game
A free Catch Phrase-style game online, on any phone
Describe the word, pass the phone, and don't get caught holding it when the buzzer goes. A hidden timer, 1,100+ words and phrases, and scores to 7. Nothing to download.
Not the official game. CATCH PHRASE is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. Pass the Phrase is an independent CardYard game and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Hasbro or any official online edition of Catch Phrase.
Team A has it
Traffic jam
- No rhymes, no first letter, no part of the word.
- Got it? Pass the phone to the other team.
- Holding it at the buzzer? The other team scores.
Your phone is the buzzer
Got it, pass it
Tap Got it and the word hides. The next player taps Reveal for a fresh word, so nobody sees it early.
Buzz, score, steal
The team holding the phone loses the round. The other team scores, then gets one guess at the word for a bonus point.
How to play Catch Phrase online
- 01
Split into two teams and sit Team A, Team B, A, B around the circle.
- 02
Start a round. Clue the word on screen without saying it, a rhyme, its first letter or part of it.
- 03
When your team says it, tap Got it and pass to the next player.
- 04
At the buzzer, the other team scores 1, plus 1 if they guess the word. First to 7 wins.
A Catch Phrase timer and buzzer
The electronic game's magic is the clock you can't see. Pass the Phrase draws a random round length every time, ticks in three speeds as time runs out, then sounds a buzzer and flashes the screen. Quick, Normal and Long rounds, or a fixed 60 seconds like the newer device.
How to play Catch Phrase without the game
Lost the buzzer, or only have the cards? Pick Your own cards and the phone becomes the timer and scoreboard: read from your cards or slips of paper, tap Got it, pass. Free, with no daily limit.
Catch Phrase words to try
A taste of the 1,100+ words and phrases in the game, from easy to hard. Good clues are everyday things everyone knows; the game deals the ones you haven't seen first.
Easy
Couch, Pillow, Toothbrush, Pizza, Pancake, Banana, Movie theater, Popcorn bucket, Guitar, Soccer ball, Basketball, Tennis racket, Airport, Beach, Hospital, Elephant, Giraffe, Penguin
Medium
Junk drawer, Spring cleaning, Lost sock, Avocado toast, Sushi roll, Mac and cheese, Red carpet, Plot twist, Movie trailer, Home run, Slam dunk, Hat trick, Window seat, Jet lag, Lost luggage, Bald eagle, Black widow, Hermit crab
Hard
Thermostat, Radiator, Chandelier, Charcuterie board, Sourdough starter, Kombucha, Method actor, Typecasting, Cameo, Photo finish, False start, Offside, Time zone, Equator, Customs officer, Hibernation, Migration, Camouflage
Word decks
Around the House
130 words and phrases. Rooms, chores and the stuff in your kitchen drawer. Free.
Food & Drink
130 words and phrases. Snacks, meals, kitchen moves and drinks. Free.
Entertainment
130 words and phrases. Movies, music, TV nights and showbiz. Free.
Sports & Games
130 words and phrases. Teams, gyms, playgrounds and game night. Free.
Places & Travel
130 words and phrases. Trips, landmarks and everywhere you wait in line. Free.
Animals & Nature
130 words and phrases. Creatures, weather and the great outdoors. Free.
Everyday Life
130 words and phrases. Jobs, school, phones, feelings and Monday mornings. Free.
Kids
80 words and phrases. Easy words for younger players. Free.
Christmas
80 words and phrases. Holiday words for December game nights. Free.
After Dark (18+)
80 words and phrases. Cheeky grown-up words for adult game nights. Premium.
Everything mixes all the everyday decks. Words you have seen are dealt last, so the next game feels fresh.
House rules and variations
Set skips to unlimited, one per turn or none. Play to 5, 7 or 10. Pick Quick rounds for a frantic game or Long rounds for kids. Big group? Keep the same circle and let the phone travel.
Set Fixed 60 s for the timing of the newer electronic game, or keep the random rounds for the classic panic. Kids? Pick the Kids deck and Long rounds.
Turn your ringer on: the ticking and the buzzer are the game. The screen flashes at the buzzer too.
More word games for teams
Like describing words? Try Taboo with forbidden clue words, 15 Words or Less, or act it out with Charades.
Built for a room full of people
Pass the Phrase is for four or more players around one phone. It shines at family gatherings, holiday parties and game nights.
Catch Phrase online questions
One game uses one of CardYard's shared daily free plays; Premium removes the cap and unlocks the 18+ After Dark deck. CATCH PHRASE is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. Pass the Phrase is an independent CardYard game and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Hasbro or any official online edition of Catch Phrase.
Is there an online version of Catch Phrase?
Yes, in a Catch Phrase-style game like Pass the Phrase. Open it on any phone, split into two teams and the phone does the rest: it hides the timer, ticks faster and faster, deals the words and keeps score. There is nothing to download.
Is there a Catch Phrase app?
You don't need one. Pass the Phrase runs in the browser on any phone, tablet or laptop and plays like the electronic game: a word on screen, a hidden timer and a buzzer.
How do you play Catch Phrase?
Two teams sit alternately in a circle. The player holding the phone gets their team to say the word on screen, then passes the phone to the next player, who is on the other team. When the buzzer goes, the team holding the phone loses the round: the other team scores 1 point, plus 1 bonus point if they can guess the unsolved word. First team to 7 wins.
What can't you say in Catch Phrase?
You can't say the word itself, a word that rhymes with it, its first letter, or part of the word, so no "shoe" for "shoehorn". Gestures and almost any other clue are fine. In Pass the Phrase, the other team calls a foul with the Foul button and scores the point.
How long is the timer in Catch Phrase?
The point is that nobody knows. Pass the Phrase draws a random length every round: 30 to 50 seconds on Quick, 45 to 75 on Normal, 60 to 90 on Long, or a fixed 60 seconds if you prefer. The ticking speeds up in three stages so you can hear time running out.
What happens if the buzzer goes during a pass?
The player who was passing still holds the phone, so their team loses the round. In Pass the Phrase the word hides as soon as you tap Got it, and the phone only changes hands when the next player taps Reveal, which settles the argument.
How many people do you need?
Four or more, split into two teams. Big groups work well: everyone sits in the circle and the phone goes around.
Can two people play Catch Phrase?
Not the team version: each team needs a clue-giver and a guesser, so four is the minimum. With two or three people, play together against the buzzer: one person clues, the others guess, and you count how many words you get before it goes off, then swap.
How do you play Catch Phrase without the game?
Use your phone. Pass the Phrase gives you the words, the hidden timer, the buzzer and the score. If you still have the cards or want to write your own slips, switch to Your own cards: the phone runs only the buzzer and the score, for free.
What game is similar to Catch Phrase?
Taboo, where some clue words are forbidden; 15 Words or Less, where clues have a word limit; Charades, where you act instead of talk; and Heads Up style forehead games. CardYard has free versions of all of them.
Is it Catch Phrase or Catchphrase?
The Hasbro party game is Catch Phrase, two words, and most people search for it either way. Catchphrase as one word usually means the UK TV quiz with picture puzzles, which is a different game.
Is it OK for kids and families?
Yes. Every deck is family-friendly except After Dark, the 18+ Premium deck. There is a Kids deck of easy words, and a Christmas deck for December.
Is this the TV show with the pictures?
No. That is the UK TV quiz Catchphrase, where you name a saying from an animated picture. Pass the Phrase is the spoken word game where you describe words and pass the device.
Is this the official Catch Phrase?
No. Pass the Phrase is an independent CardYard game with its own original word list. Catch Phrase is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc., which does not sponsor or endorse CardYard.
Describe it. Pass it. Don't get caught.