Swipe the Thimble

Swipe the Thimble is a variation on the classic game Hunt the Thimble, which sees one player hiding a small object before the other players enter the room and search for it.

The difference in Swipe the Thimble is that the aim is not to only find the thimble, but to take it while the player who hid it isn't looking.

Play

One player is selected to hide the object first. All other players then leave the room (or use another means of not looking) while the selected player hides the object. Once the hider signals that they're ready, the other players return to the room and begin searching. It's recommended to agree a 3-5 minute time limit on the searching beforehand.

If a player finds the thimble, it's their choice whether they attempt to take it there and then or return when the hider is looking elsewhere. The hider should not spend the whole time watching the hiding spot, or this will direct all players towards the object.

Once the searching time has elapsed, all players gather together. The hider then predicts who they think has taken the thimble, or whether no one has taken it.

If the hider guesses correctly

The hider wins, and gets to hide the object again in the next game.

If the hider guesses incorrectly and the object was taken

The player who took the object wins and gets to hide it in the next game.

If the hider guesses incorrectly but the object was not taken

The hider loses and elects a different player to hide the object in the next game (perhaps the player they felt got closest to the object).

Hiding places

Unlike in the original game, it's not in the spirit of Swipe the Thimble to choose a hiding place that no one is likely to find. It's also important to choose a hiding place that doesn't require a lot of noise or movement to access. If the other players collectively feel that a hiding place was unfair, the win can be given to the player who was closest to finding the object.