Thesis is a conversation card game for 2–6 players, and it works with two. On a date or after years together, it gives you one word at a time to talk about.
The setting
A table for two at home, or a sofa with the deck between you. No time limit.
How a session looks
Whoever suggested the game goes first. You draw card 34 and choose a side: Trust or Window. You roll, then look at the word from that side. Your partner asks what they’re curious about, gently, without judging. Then the die goes to them.
With two players, turns come around fast. A session can be three cards or twenty. When you’re ready to stop, each of you names one thing you discovered about the other tonight.
What to watch for
- Passing. Agree how passing works before you start. Couples know where the tender spots are. Every card has a second side, and choosing it is part of the game.
- Words that split. Some words in the deck read differently to different people. In one study of couples, trust meant open phones for some and never needing to look for others (arXiv, 2024). “Every view is welcome, especially one that differs from yours.”
- Pace. “A short answer is a full answer. You can always ask for more.” There’s no need to settle anything tonight.
- Questions. The rule card says: “Good questions are short and open,” such as What did that feel like?
Words to start with
- Trust · Window
- Money · Backpack
- Boundaries · Shoes
- Jealousy · Kitchen table
- Love · Candle
Try it, then order
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