Five games to break the ice with colleagues

You know a colleague’s job title, their project and the sound their microphone makes when they unmute. You have barely talked about anything else. A short game gives you something ordinary to share, without opening with “tell us a surprising fact about yourself”.

Choose one game for two willing people, then leave a few minutes afterwards. These five OfficeGuilds games offer different starting points for a conversation. The questions below are examples to adapt, not a script to work through.

Choose the kind of break you both want

Ask a concrete question: would you rather remember pictures, make a move on a board, make a secret choice or solve a code? That gives your colleague a choice without asking them to describe how good they are at games.

• Something to do before talking: Memory gives you a shared set of pictures to discuss afterwards.

• A familiar board: Connect Four may bring back a game one of you already knows. Check rather than assume familiarity.

• A quick reveal: Rock Paper Scissors gives both people a secret choice and an immediate result.

• A paper-and-pencil connection: Dots & Boxes can lead to a conversation about games you used to draw.

• A puzzle to concentrate on: Codebreaker suits two people who want to compare their thinking after a quieter match.

None requires a vocabulary contest, but you still need a language in which both people understand the rules. Check that each person can read the instructions and distinguish the board elements comfortably. A visual game is not automatically accessible to everyone; ask what works for this pair.

1. Memory: start with something you both just saw

In Memory, you open two cards, one at a time, looking for pairs. A match earns a point and another turn; different cards close and the turn passes. Watch the timer for opening each card, and save longer stories for afterwards.

Before starting, ask: “Would you rather try a game with pictures, or something where we choose moves?” Memory involves remembering earlier reveals, so it is worth checking whether that sounds enjoyable after a busy morning.

Afterwards, return to a moment you both witnessed: “I was convinced that card was in the other corner. Did you remember it, or was that a lucky pick?” Share your own mistake without making theirs the subject. The conversation can stay with the match or move to another game they enjoy.

2. Connect Four: ask how they first met the game

In Connect Four, drop discs into columns and make a line of four horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Each disc falls to the lowest available space. Check the room clock for the current match; the catalogue suggests about ten minutes.

Before starting, ask whether your colleague has played a physical version. Perhaps they know it from a phone; perhaps it is new to them. Explain the falling discs if needed, rather than beginning with a tactical lesson.

After the match, point to one change in the board: “I was watching your horizontal line and missed the diagonal. Was that your plan?” It gives both players something specific to discuss, even if neither has an earlier memory of the game. Ask about the decision rather than whether the winner is usually “good at this”.

3. Rock Paper Scissors: share a quick reveal

Rock Paper Scissors is a familiar three-choice contest: each person secretly chooses rock, paper or scissors, then the choices are compared. The catalogue suggests about three minutes. It works when both want a brief, light challenge before talking.

Before playing, ask: “Did you have a favourite way to choose as a kid, or do you decide at random?” This invites an answer without demanding a personal story. If the rules are unfamiliar, read the game page together; the choices matter, but nobody needs a long lesson.

Afterwards, refer to a real reveal: “I expected scissors and chose rock, but you went with paper.” A short exchange can lead to another round only if both have time. Do not turn a playful guess into a claim about anyone’s personality.

4. Dots & Boxes: bring back the notebook margin

In Dots & Boxes, four rows of four dots form nine boxes. Take turns drawing an unused edge between neighbouring dots. Completing a box gives you a point and another turn, so one move can lead to several more.

Before playing, ask what your colleague used to draw on spare paper: mazes, grid games or perhaps nothing at all. Offer your own example first. If neither of you knows a paper version, explain the extra turn for completing a box and let the board supply the topic.

After the match, ask: “When did you notice those boxes could be claimed one after another?” You may have spotted the same sequence at different times. Wait until play has ended: discussing a live chain can reveal a move the other player wanted to find independently.

5. Codebreaker: share one abandoned guess

Codebreaker asks you to solve a code of four symbols before your opponent; symbols may repeat. Both players see feedback about correct symbols in the right position and correct symbols in the wrong position.

Before choosing it, ask whether your colleague wants a puzzle that may involve quiet concentration. If the aim is to talk continuously during play, pick something else. Silence during this match need not mean the invitation has gone badly.

Afterwards, compare one possibility you considered and rejected. “I kept assuming the symbols had to be different” is a useful opening if that is what actually happened. Your colleague may explain a clue you overlooked. The conversation can move to favourite puzzles or detective stories, but it can also end with the code.

Explain the rules without taking over

For a newcomer, cover the goal, what happens on a turn and the relevant timer before starting. Then ask what remains unclear. If they request help during play, check whether they want a rule explained or a suggested move. Those are different kinds of help.

If you play a lot, say so. There is no need to hide your experience or lose deliberately. Offer to discuss one turning point afterwards, or suggest a game that is new to both of you next time. Keep any explanation short enough that the colleague still gets to make their own decisions.

With a new hire or someone you manage, make the invitation particularly easy to decline: “No problem if you’d rather have a quiet break.” Ask once and let their answer stand. Joining a social game should not feel like another work assignment.

When the game or conversation does not fit

If explaining the rules uses up the time you had, choose a simpler game together or postpone. If the display or controls are uncomfortable, ask whether another activity would suit them better. You do not need to spend the whole break troubleshooting.

If a conversation prompt gets only a short answer, share a brief observation of your own or let it rest. A question about an old game does not need to become a question about family or childhood. Try “That diagonal caught me out” rather than pushing for a personal story.

A running game may need both players’ attention. Finish quietly and talk afterwards; do not assume the timers pause for conversation. For a tight schedule, use the guide to playing between meetings. One match and “See you later” can be a complete first break together.

Make the invitation easy to answer

Example message:

“We haven’t had much chance to chat. Fancy a game of Memory during a break this week, with a few minutes afterwards? Happy to pick another game, or leave it for another time.”

OfficeGuilds supports two-person Guest play with nicknames and a shared link, without registration. Use your usual workplace chat or call for the conversation. The first Guest game guide covers setup; here, the useful choice is a game both people want to try and an invitation they can answer freely.