The Most Dangerous Games: Frequently Asked Questions, Vol. XXII

Previously: Frequently Asked Questions, Vol. XXI.

Got a question about a ritual game, urban legend game, or other creepy, scary, game-like pursuit? I (might) have some answers for you. Buckle up, folks — it’s time for the 22nd volume of TGIMM’s The Most Dangerous Games: Frequently Asked Questions series.

As always, questions are drawn from the comments on our Most Dangerous Games posts, and also as always, the answers provided aren’t necessarily the be-all, end-all. I have, however, been studying, thinking about, documenting, and writing about ritual-based urban legends for… quite some time now (more than a decade, in fact!), so I like to think that I do more or less know my stuff.

[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]

I typically arrive at these answers through a combination of close reading of the rituals themselves, accounts from those who have allegedly played them or experienced them, folklore and other research when applicable, and also just a… general sense of familiarity with how these sorts of things tend to go. With more than 200 Most Dangerous Games in the TGIMM archives, that’s… quite a significant body of work to go on.

As always, I’ll add these to the Master FAQ page as soon as I’m able.

Ready?

Let’s begin.

General:

Many games and rituals note actions to take or not take specifically “if you feel uneasy or unsettled.” What does that mean, exactly? What if you are just kind of scared doing the ritual in general and that makes you feel uneasy? Does that still count?

It’s a subtle thing, that feeling of uneasiness or unsettlement. It’s a bit more than just the butterfly-type feeling you might get from general nerves — the sort of “Ah, yes! I am about to do something a little bit dangerous!” thrill that playing these kinds of games tends to inspire.

Rather, it’s the feeling that something is… a little bit off. A bit wrong. Like something isn’t as it should be, even if you can’t quite put your finger on what or how.

It’s ultimately, I think, about trusting your gut — about listening to the little voice that might be telling you that perhaps this isn’t the right thing to do, or that perhaps you would be better off not doing it.

Pay attention to how you’re feeling.

Your instincts are probably better honed than you think.

The Clock And Candles Game:

Are you allowed to bring a pencil and paper so you can write down your questions and not forget them? Or maybe write down the answers?

You can try, but honestly, I wouldn’t. For one thing, you’ll be in low-light conditions throughout the course of the gaming, meaning you might not be able to see well enough to read anything written down on a piece of paper. For another, there may not be time or space to pause and write down the answers you receive while you’re mid-game. Your best bet is to make sure your memory is up to the challenge of playing this game — that you’re able to memorize the questions you want to ask before beginning, and memorize the responses while you’re playing.

The Fear Less Ritual:

This game is about facing your greatest fear, correct? If so, what if you’re scared of heights or something? Instead of meeting an entity in Room 3, would you instead be somewhere very high instead? Like a cliff?

I suspect that this will vary greatly depending on the individual player. It might be possible, yes — or, given the fact that players are instructed at that point to “embrace [their] companion,” it might be a personification of the fear. What precisely a personified great height might be will almost certainly be dependent on the player themself.

When you wake up after, what will you be scared for? And is there a guarantee you will be scared? Can you never show fear again, or just for a certain amount of time?

These questions are ultimately all part of the same question—one that might be summed up as, “What happens after the game is over?” — so I’m taking them all as one here. The first two parts, like much of this game, are highly dependent on each individual player, so there isn’t one solid answer for them — but as for the last part? Yes, you’ll need to remain strong more or less in perpetuity.

That’s the point of the whole thing, after all, isn’t it?

Can you talk to your companions when you meet them in each room?

Generally speaking, these kinds of games work best if you speak only when the rules specify to do so, and in those cases, only using the words or topics described within the rules. Here, I wouldn’t try it.

Besides: Sometimes, you can say more without actually speaking a single word.

The Sandman Game:

What if the sensation doesn’t pass? What should I do?

You’d… best get used to it.

Sorry.

The Salt Merchant Ritual:

About making the salt bag “empty”: How empty does it need to be?

As empty as possible. True, you probably don’t want to offer just the dregs for sale — your customer may feel a bit cheated by that — but ideally, there should be very little in the way of stray salt left in the bag by the end of the game.

Could I wait a little longer than three weeks to open the bag again, to be safe? Or does it need to be exactly after three weeks are up?

Three weeks. 21 days. No more, no less.

What’s in the bag? Is it multiple things, or is it one gift we’re getting, with the entity buying our salt giving us pieces so they can form together in the bag?

That’s highly dependent on each player. You’ll have to try it yourself and find out.

The Game Of Waiting:

What happens if the game is made forfeit?

As a refresher, the game is automatically forfeit if you fall asleep at any point, or if you let the flame you have chosen to use for the game go out before midnight has arrived. If a forfeiture occurs, then the game simply won’t work — that is, you won’t achieve a successful end result. In the event of a forfeiture, it’s recommended that you simply pack up and dispose of your supplies, cleanse the space if you can, and carry on; you can try another time, if you wish. Nothing bad will occur if a forfeit happens…

…Unless you attempt to carry on playing after the game has already become forfeit.

As the rules point out, that would be cheating. And no good ever comes to those who cheat. Whatever you can imagine might happen to you if you’re caught cheating while playing this game… the reality is probably worse.

Don’t do it.

The House Window Game (How To Test Your Inspiration):

What happens if you perform the steps of the ritual in real life or actual, physical space, rather than in your imagination? Also, could you do this not following the rules — that is, do the whole imagining thing, but just live your life inside your imagination, rather than performing the steps of the ritual?

I mean, if you do either of these things, you’re… not actually playing the game. And if you’re not playing the game, then none of the things that are meant to happen while you play the game will happen at all.

(A question for anyone who would consider “playing the game” in either of these ways: Why would you bother trying to play the game if you’re not going to, y’know, play the game? What even is the point?)

What if the shadow touched you and you try to play again?

Nothing good.

Possibly something dangerous.

Don’t do it.

What happens if you enter the home in your mind and begin opening the windows and someone interrupts for whatever reason? Can you go back later and finish?

These kinds of games rarely work as intended if they are interrupted in the middle. If you’re interrupted while playing, I would just start again from the beginning later. Ideally, though, play at a time and in a location where you know you won’t be interrupted. Interruptions can make things… unpredictable.

What if you enter the home in your mind and notice that some of the details are off? For instance, you find that a chair that should be there is gone, but everything else is fine?

This particular version of this kind of ritual doesn’t specify that everything must be exact; nor does it specify that details being wrong or otherwise not matching their real-life counterparts are an indication of something dangerous being afoot. However, at the very least, I would tread carefully — and if you’re truly concerned, then terminate the game.

When in doubt, get out of there. It’s safer if you do.

Is it recommended to wear items or charms of protections before conducting this ritual, or does it matter?

Again, there are no specifications that items of protection or charms of any kind are necessary to play this game. If it makes you feel better to have one with you, though, then by all means, bring one along.

The windows in my home cannot be opened in the real world, as they’re sealed off. If I play this game, will they simply open anyway, as if they’re not sealed?

That… might be something only you can answer. If you try playing with this location as your playing space, and you find yourself unable to open those windows when you are traveling through the home, then it’s probably best to terminate the game. You might think about trying with another location, if you can; see: Additional Notes, “There is some debate about which ‘home’ or ‘house’ you must picture in order to play this game.”

What if you can’t really imagine your house in your mind? Do you just open your eyes and then go study the exterior?

If you are unable to imagine your house — to picture it in all of its details — then this game is perhaps… not for you. Do NOT open your eyes in the middle of the game. If you must go study the exterior of the actual home, do it BEFORE you start playing.

The Little Finger Game:

What happens if you just hear the story (ex: read to you by a YouTube video), but you don’t actually see/read the story?

I would argue that listening to the story constitutes reading it. Audiobooks and other audio-based forms of media provide accessibility. It’s still reading — it’s just a different format.

The Three Wishes Ritual:

What if one of your wishes covers multiple sections — that is, one of your wishes incorporates both love and health?

The wishes must be distinct — that is, a single wish cannot cover more than one section. Your wishes can, however, be related in such a way that, when taken together, they form a whole that is perhaps larger than the sum of their parts. As such, you might consider splitting a seemingly multi-pronged wish into two parts — that is, if you have a wish that incorporates both love and health, separate out those two parts of the wish from each other and use them as two of your three total wishes.

The “Am I Perfect Yet?” Game:

Should you flush as many times as necessary? E.g. if you fail to flush all the pieces the first time, should you flush it again?

Yes. (I would imagine, though, that unless the flush mechanism is particularly weak, everything should go down in one go, so it likely won’t be a problem.)

Can you force-stop or terminate this game early as a failsafe if required?

Up to a point, yes; each of those points where the game may be terminated early is specified in the rules as written.

If, however, you get to the point where you are conversing with Her — where she is asking you questions, and where answers are required of you — then you MUST play the game to completion.

If you don’t — if you abandon Her with Her questions unanswered — well… She’ll figure out where you live eventually.

You don’t want that.

Seriously.

You don’t.

Can I play this with a partner?

I wouldn’t. At best, it just won’t work. At worst, it could go horribly awry. Generally speaking, unless a game is noted specifically as requiring multiple players, or unless bystanders are called out as okay, then assume it must be played alone for best — or any — results.

The Travel Man Game:

Would you consider this game “safe” or low-risk, relatively speaking?

Absolutely not. Any game that sees you striking a bargain or making a deal with… something is never going to be safe. Simple to play does not equal safe.

Are there any descriptions of what the Travel Man looks like?

He’s usually described by what he’s wearing, not by his physical features. You can expect him to be dressed well, likely in a suit. You can expect him to be carrying an impressive briefcase. Anything else is… up for debate.

If you accept his offer, will the Travel Man ask for anything in return?

Only if you get greedy.

And in that case, it’s not so much an ask.

He’ll take.

On the seventh night, do I still have to keep the candle lit, or do blow it out when the Travel Man enters into my home?

On the seventh night, complete the game up through Step 4 of Issuing The Invitation — that is, up through the knocking sequence and the repetition of the words, “Travel Man, Travel Man, come make me a deal.” Then, leave the candle lit and proceed to Issuing The Invitation: Step 8. Here, with the invitation complete and the candle still lit, listen: If you hear silence, extinguish the candle and end the game as instructed. If you hear… something, however — something on the other side of the door — keep the candle lit and proceed from there.

Only extinguish the candle when instructed — typically when you are, for some reason, ending the game. If you are still playing, keep it lit.

Mirror-sama, Or The Opposites Game:

Which hand do I use if I’m ambidextrous?

Whichever one is weaker, even if it’s only slightly so. Or, if you’re ambidextrous but choose to write or draw more often with a particular hand, use the other. If you truly, truly use both hands equally, and do not have even the slightest difference between them, then this game is perhaps not for you.

The Cemetery Dirt Game:

How many times can you play this game? Can you play it more than once?

Well… yes, but with a couple of caveats.

First, there’s always an inherent risk in repeatedly playing these kinds of games; you’re opening yourself up to forces you may not fully understand or be able to control, over and over again, which in the long term is not really recommended.

And second, recall that you cannot play this game in the same location more than once, or with the same materials more than once. So, if you want to play it again, you’ll have to find a different cemetery, different supplies, and a different place at which to dispose of your supplies when you’re done each and every time you play.

Just, y’know… stuff to bear in mind.

The 10-Day Dream Ritual:

What happens if you fail to complete the task in each dream?

It’s not exactly specified, but there are two possibilities:

First, you simply keep having a specific night’s dream over and over again until you complete the task. When the task is completed, you’re then permitted to move onto the next dream in the sequence.

The second option is less forgiving, however. Consider: If you don’t complete each and every task for the first nine dreams, then you won’t find out what happens in the tenth dream. And if you don’t complete the tenth night’s dream, you can’t properly complete the task of having the dream, then sharing the story of the 10-Day Dream Ritual. And if you don’t share the story of the 10-Day Dream Ritual, then you get sent back to the first dream over… and over… and over again.

Forever.

So, uh… don’t fail to complete the tasks.

If you don’t receive the first night’s dream within three days of beginning the ritual, is there something you have to do to exit or end the game?

Again, it’s not specified — Japanese ritual games that were popularized on the internet circa 2008-2009 tend to have intentional gaps that leave the details up to your imagination — but you might want to perform some kind of cleansing ritual, just to be on the safe side. If the first dream hasn’t arrived by night three, then it’s not just happening.

But then again, it’s also unlikely that you’ll pass three nights without the first dream occurring.

There’s a reason this game is sometimes filed under the heading of “Curse,” rather than “Ritual.”

How much of this ritual do you have to read to trigger it?

My understanding is that you have to read the entire set of instructions from start to finish.

But then again…

Answers In The Dark:

I know it’s specifically mentioned that the game should not go on any longer than an hour, but is there any rule against playing for under an hour?

Not as far as I know. One hour is simply the outside limit; if you’re ready to finish before the hour is up, you can go ahead and do that. You can even set your alarm for less time than an hour, if you want.

The Paper Ring Game:

Can I use a pencil instead of a pen or marker?

I mean, you can try, but my assumption is that it wouldn’t work — not even if it’s a colored pencil. The fact that writing implement uses ink is probably important; the usage of ink when specified usually matters in games like these.

For the wish-granting version, do I need to wear all three rings for the three nights, or do I get rid of them each night when it’s no longer needed?

That’s a good question — and I’m not actually sure there’s a definitive answer. None of the sources I’ve located that talk about using this ritual as a wish-granting game say whether you should wear all of the rings together each night or whether you should replace the previous night’s ring with the new one each night you play. I could see a case being made for either scenario. If you try it, do report back on your findings!

Does this ritual transport you to another realm physically, or only in a dream?

I suspect that it depends largely on each player’s perceptions. If you perceive the world to be real, it will be. If you perceive it to be a dream world, it will be. It’s… kind of up to you, I think.

Question about the “your usual bedtime” part — does that mean the ritual won’t work if we fall asleep earlier/later than usual after making the ring? What if someone wants to play the game but doesn’t have a typical bedtime (i.e. college student, rotating shift-worker, etc.)? Or is it more of a “hey, do this when you’re actually falling asleep for the night, midday naps don’t count” type of deal?

It’s a “Hey, do this when you’re actually falling asleep for the night, midday naps don’t count” type of deal.

Can this game be used to go to an original fictional world or place you’ve written?

Maybe. It’s a highly adaptable ritual. Try it out and let us know how it goes!

Does this game work on the principle of parallel worlds? Or is it making changes to the existing world?

Unclear, although I suspect it’s a parallel worlds or many-worlds situation, rather than making changes to the existing world. It’s very strongly focused on the person performing the ritual and how the results will affect them specifically, not on how performing the ritual might affect others around them.

Can I draw or doodle on the outside of the ring?

Maybe? There’s nothing that says you can’t; the one thing to be careful of is whether whatever you doodle might in some way interfere with the description of the world you wish to go to — not literally (since you’ve specified drawing on the outside of the ring — the side that doesn’t have the world description on it), but figuratively (have you drawn something that’s somehow counter to the world described?).

Can I draw the world I want to go on the ring instead of writing about it?

Again, maybe? Given that the game does specify describing the world, not drawing it, it’s not clear whether this would work. But I suppose you could give it a shot and see what happens — the good news with this particular game is that a failure state mostly means nothing at all happens, rather than something adverse or harmful happening.

Shadow Hide And Seek:

What happens if I cough or sneeze? Does that count as speaking? Would I lose if I do it?

I don’t think it counts as speaking, although it still might impede the success of the game. The idea is to remain silent, and even though coughing and sneezing aren’t really speaking in the traditional sense, they are still noise-making actions. (Recall Step 5 of Making The Preparations: “DO NOT make any kind of noise once you have entered the playing field until after the game has concluded. Remain absolutely silent from here on out.”)

If you’re prone to coughing or sneezing and find them hard to control, this game may not be for you.

Can They forcefully take your mask off or get violent with you?

Can They take your mask off? They probably could, but I don’t think They would; that’s not the fun of the game for Them, after all. What They really want is for you to take your mask off—to see if They can convince or coerce you to do it yourself.

Can They get violent? I’m not sure “violent” is necessarily the right word — not if we’re talking about physical violence, at least. Again, the fun of the game for Them doesn’t lie in exercising brute force; it’s all about Their powers of manipulation, and the thrill of using them. That said, though, They might touch you, or make you thinking something is touching you. And if They catch you… well. You do the math.

It says that the ringing items have to be identical, but do the striking items also have to be?

Sources don’t specify that the items you use to strike the ringing items have to be identical, but it’s probably not a bad idea for them to be. No one’s identity should be distinguishable—and if you all have different striking items, that could be a tip-off as to who is who. If you all use the same striking item, then there’s no telling who is using what.

Glasses are known to be reflective. If you’re wearing a mask with glasses over or under it, then would it be possible for any sort of light source to reflect on your glasses and give you away?

Possible? I mean, sure. Whether it’s likely is less certain, but for what it’s worth, anything you can do to make getting detected or caught less likely to happen is probably a good move.

Personally, as a glasses-wearer myself —  and an “I cannot make out anything further away from my face than a couple of inches if I don’t have my glasses on” glasses-wearer, at that (my vision is very bad, friends) — I am always wary of doing things that require a great deal of motion while wearing my specs. If I’m going to be engaging in any activities that might even remotely put my glasses in danger of falling off my face and/or getting damaged — anything from strenuous hiking to just, like, working a shift at the cat shelter I volunteer at — I’ll put my contacts in instead in order to render it a complete non-issue.

That’s probably what I’d do if I were going to attempt to play Shadow Hide And Seek; even setting aside the possible dangers of light-reflection giving me away, running around in the dark seems like a great way to potentially break my glasses, and I’d rather not have to deal with that possibility.

I realize that contacts aren’t an option for everyone, but if they are for you, and you want to play this game, it might be worth using contacts instead of glasses while you play.

***

Follow The Ghost In My Machine on Bluesky @GhostMachine13.bsky.social, Twitter @GhostMachine13, and Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine. And for more games, don’t forget to check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available now from Chronicle Books!

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