What is the Stroop effect?
Discovered in 1935, the Stroop effect appears when a word says one colour while its ink is another. Your brain fights itself: reading wants to win, and you lose.
How F**k. The Game Works
How F**k. The Game Works — The Science of the Stroop Effect
A word, a colour and one tiny instruction collide. Your brain knows the answer. Your mouth has other plans.
See how it worksWhy a simple card can make your brain fight itself.
F**k. The Game is a party card game based on the Stroop effect. Here are the straight answers to how it works.
How do you play?
Flip a card and shout what you see — the background colour, text colour or the swear word, depending on the card. It plays with 2–8 players, and rounds last about a minute.
Why is it so hard to say the colour and not the word?
Reading is automatic. You've read since around age 5, so your brain physically struggles to suppress the word and name the conflicting colour instead.
How many players do you need?
F**k. The Game works with 2–8 players. That covers a couples game, family game night, hen party or work drinks.
How long does a game take?
A complete game takes 15–30 minutes. One round lasts about 60 seconds.
Is it suitable for 18+?
Yes — it contains strong language. That's the point.
Three possible answers.
One scrambled brain.
01Say the background colour.
02Say the text colour.
03Say the swear word written on it.
The word/colour conflict creates the Stroop chaos, while the card keeps you guessing which rule applies until you flip.
Science at the table. Chaos out loud.
★★★★★
4.6★ from 4,021 Amazon UK reviews
60 playing cards, 4 quick-reference rule cards and a 12-page instruction booklet in a 6cm × 9cm × 2.3cm pocket-sized deck.
Designed in AustraliaUK shipping: 1–4 business days2–8 players
Ready to test your brain?
Play for 15–30 minutes, pay under £15, and use code GA10 for 10% off. The Pee Your Pants Laughing Guarantee — if you don't laugh, return it for a full refund.
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