Bugs (or How Many Bugs?) is a party game about observation where players try to guess how the game actually works. If done well this simple and fast game can keep its participants guessing for quite some time. Party games are games which share several features suitable to entertaining a social gathering of moderate size. ...

One person will be, effectively, the Keeper. The Keeper will explain that in his hand is a jar with bugs in it. Cupping his hands he will shake his hands and move on to ask the rest of the players how many bugs do they think he has in his 'jar'. This game works best if two people know how to play, but can be done if only the Keeper knows.

The secret

The secret is simple in that it has nothing to do with the number of times the jar is shaken. The number of bugs in the jar is determined by the number of words used to ask how many bugs are in the jar.

Examples

(4 shakes)
How many bugs are in the jar?
Ans: 8

(8 shakes)
How many bugs in the jar?
Ans: 6

(1 shake)
How many bugs?
Ans: 3

(5 shakes)
How many bugs?
Ans: 3

(10 shakes)
How many?
Ans: 2

TIPS for the Keeper Count the number of words you'll use to ask your question before you shake. That extra time of counting in your head, or even worse, lipping your counting after will alert the rest of the players to your method. If done before, then it usually appears to be part of any varying methods used to calculate the number of bugs in the jar.

See also

Take a plane
Snaps (game) Take a plane is a party game that resembles Scissors in that some players know the secret of how the game actually works and the objective is for those who do not know this to work it out. ... Snaps is a trick game, often played at parties. ...