How to Play Don't Draw the Short Straw

Quick answer

In Don't Draw the Short Straw, players draw straws to see who must complete a challenge from one of four card types: trivia, challenge, luck, or speak off. Fail and you keep the card; the player with the fewest cards at the end wins.

How to play Don't Draw the Short Straw: step by step

1. Set up the straws and cards: Place the straws in a bundle so all ends are even. Separate the four card decks: trivia, challenge, luck, and speak off. Shuffle each deck and place them face down in the center. Make sure no one can see the straw lengths before drawing.
2. Draw straws to find the first player: Each player draws one straw from the bundle. The player who pulls the shortest straw becomes the first contestant. The other players take turns being the referee for that round. If two straws appear equal, have those players draw again.
3. The referee draws a card and reads the challenge: The referee picks one card from any of the four decks and reads it aloud to the contestant. The contestant must then attempt the challenge: answer a trivia question, complete a physical challenge, rely on luck (e.g., a coin flip), or win a speak-off. The referee should read the card exactly as written—no hints or clarifications.
4. Complete the challenge or keep the card: If the contestant succeeds, they discard the card and pass the straws to the next player. If they fail, they must keep the card in front of them. The player with the fewest kept cards at the end of the game wins. A common mistake is forgetting to discard successful cards—keep a discard pile visible.

Product details

• Don't Draw the Short Straw: Don't Draw the Short Straw includes trivia, challenge, luck, and speak off cards. The referee reads the card and the player must complete the task. This variety means the game stays fresh for multiple rounds and appeals to different player strengths—not just trivia buffs.