Black Box
You're a detective trying to deduce the hidden arrangement of atoms inside an invisible…
The Priest of the Parish
You and your team must stand up in perfect unison and respond in the right order, or you'll drop down the ranks while faster teams climb to victory. The pressure builds as the Gossiper calls out teams in rapid succession—one slip-up and you're starting over from the bottom.
10–150
Players
20 min
Duration
Medium
Difficulty
Indoor
Location
8+
Min age
You need:
🎯 Other
How to Play
- Divide into teams and sit in numbered rows; one person is the Gossiper. 2. The Gossiper accuses a team by number. 3. That team stands and asks "Who me sir?" in unison. 4. A rapid exchange follows until someone fails to stand together, speaks out of sync, or the wrong team stands. 5. The offending team drops to the bottom row; teams below shift up. 6. Play continues until the Gossiper ends the game. Highest-ranked team wins.
Set up one chair per player in rows of equal length, with each row numbered. Divide players into teams of five and seat each team in one row, with half the rows facing the other direction. Designate one person as the Gossiper, who stands separately.
The Gossiper starts by accusing a specific team of the crime. The named team must rise immediately and ask "Who me sir?" in perfect unison. The Gossiper confirms "Yes, you sir," and the team protests "Couldn't be, sir!" The Gossiper then asks "Then who, sir?" The accused team now names another team to shift blame.
That newly named team must jump up and respond "Who me sir?" The exchange continues back and forth at an increasingly rapid pace. One team calls out the next, who must react quickly and in sync with their teammates.
If any team fails to rise together, their voices overlap or break rhythm, or the wrong team stands up, that team is penalized. The offending team moves to the bottom row, and every team ranked below shifts up one spot. This creates constant jockeying for position.
The Gossiper then begins a fresh accusation with a new team. Play continues until the Gossiper decides to end the game. Victory goes to whichever team holds the highest ranking at that moment. Success demands coordination, quick thinking, and staying alert to hear your team's name.
The Priest of the Parish is believed to originate from the Napoleonic Wars era of the early 1800s and remains popular with Scout troops worldwide.
