# Three Truths and a Lie Participants write three true statements and one false statement about themselves, then circulate in pairs to guess which item is the lie. **Time:** 15 minutes. Source specifies 10 to 15 minutes; 15 minutes allows writing, three pair rotations, and a brief whole-room debrief. **People:** 4 to 24. Individual drafting followed by three timed pair or trio rounds; groups are reassigned between rounds. ## Choose this exercise **Purpose:** Help participants learn personal background facts and trivia about peers through structured one-on-one guessing exchanges. **Use it when:** Use at the start of a meeting or workshop series when participants are meeting for the first time and need a low-stakes speaking prompt. **Skip it when:** Skip when participants already know each other well or when the group setting requires strict personal privacy. ## Materials and tools - One sheet of blank paper per participant - One pen or pencil per participant - One countdown timer visible to the room - For remote or hybrid delivery: a video meeting with breakout rooms and one individual camera-enabled device per participant; room participants also need individual headsets. Use paper or each participant's own unshared notes for drafting. ## Before participants arrive 1. Place one sheet of paper and a pen at each seat. 2. Clear an open aisle or center floor area so participants can stand and walk around easily. 3. Before the session, prepare three rounds of pair assignments from the full participant list, with one trio when the total is odd. Aim for different partners across rounds; some partners may repeat, especially in trios. Use the actual participating roster if anyone chooses to observe. ## Say this to open Take a sheet of paper and write your name at the top. Below your name, write four statements about yourself. Three must be completely true, and one must be a lie. Mix up the order so the lie is not obvious. Keep the statements lighthearted, such as favorite foods, past hobbies, pets, or travel. You have three minutes to write your list. ## How to run it ### 1. Introduce the task (2 minutes) Distribute materials. Read the opening script aloud and write an explicit example on the room board: '1. I have two cats. 2. I have run a marathon. 3. I speak four languages. 4. I dislike bananas.' Remind participants not to reveal the lie yet. ### 2. Draft statements (3 minutes) Participants write their four statements independently. Monitor the room to make sure participants scramble the order of the true statements and the lie. Ensure nobody displays their list to neighbors. ### 3. Rotate and guess in pairs (7 minutes) Use the prepared pairs, with one trio if needed. Run three two-minute rounds, with brief pauses to change groups. Each person shows their four statements; the others guess the lie, then the speaker reveals it. Continue until everyone who chooses to share has had a turn. Keep turns brief within the same two minutes, including trios. Reassign groups between rounds, aiming for different partners; some repeats may be necessary. Ring a chime or call time for each change. ### 4. Debrief as a whole group (3 minutes) Call the room back to their seats. Invite two or three volunteers to share a lie that fooled their partners or a surprising true statement that people assumed was fake. Ask the debrief questions to close the session. ## Debrief questions - Which true statement surprised you the most during your conversations? - What made a particular lie convincing or easy to spot? **Finished output:** Participants who choose to share produce four-statement sheets and take part in up to three pair or trio conversations. ## Remote UWT remote adaptation: Give participants three minutes to draft their four statements on paper or in their own unshared notes. Keep drafts out of shared documents and boards. Use the prepared full-roster assignments in two-person breakout rooms, with one trio for an odd count. Run three two-minute rounds. When each round begins, reveal statements only to the assigned partner or trio by reading aloud or showing the paper on camera. Use brief turns so each willing speaker can share within the same two minutes. Change groups using the next prepared assignment; prioritize different partners but do not promise all-new partners in every round. Return for the debrief. Share only statements you are comfortable with another person remembering or repeating; passing remains available. ## Hybrid UWT hybrid adaptation: Everyone joins the same video meeting on an individual camera-enabled device, including people in the room. Room participants use individual headsets, sit apart, and mute microphones except while speaking. Use the full participant roster regardless of location for the prepared pairs and odd-count trio, including any lone remote or room participant. Follow the remote procedure: three minutes of drafting in own unshared notes, then three two-minute breakout rounds with statements revealed only when each round begins. Change groups with each prepared assignment, aiming for different partners without guaranteeing all-new partners. Keep time centrally and return for the three-minute debrief. Retain the pass and observer choices; no shared statement is promised confidentiality. ## Access and participation choices - Participants may dictate statements to a peer or write about neutral topics like favorite foods instead of personal history. - Anyone may choose to observe, serve as the round timekeeper, or pass on sharing without explanation. ## If the session gets stuck **An odd number of participants leaves one person without a partner during pairing.** Form one group of three where all three participants take turns sharing statements and guessing in sequence. **Participants write overly sensitive personal secrets.** Emphasize during the opening instructions that statements should focus on lighthearted trivia like hobbies, habits, or everyday preferences. ## Sources and adaptation Observed in the UNICEF Adolescent Kit for Expression and Innovation (Energizer Cards, 'Three truths and a lie'). Retained the core mechanic and example style from the UNICEF Adolescent Kit energizer card. UWT added the 15-minute timeline, three timed rounds, access choices and delivery logistics. Drafting remains independent, with statements revealed only to the assigned partner or trio when a round begins. UWT now groups the full hybrid roster regardless of location, using individual devices/headsets and prepared assignments. The three rounds aim for different partners but do not guarantee every partner is new or that everyone meets everyone. These are UWT delivery choices, not platform-confidentiality guarantees. [UNICEF](https://www.unicef.org/adolescentkit/activity-box/energizer/three-truths-lie) Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/energizer-three-truths-and-a-lie/