Two truths and a lie: how to answer it (with examples)
By the bestsideofyou teamLast updated
“Two truths and a lie” is a game, so build it to be played. Use three short, specific statements that are all believable, with one surprising truth in the mix. The reply is the guess, which makes this one of the easiest prompts to start a conversation from. If every line is obvious, nobody plays.
What this prompt reveals about you
Your stories, in miniature. The truths tell people about your past and your oddities, and the lie shows your sense of humor. It also shows whether you're playful enough to make a small game for a stranger. The best versions make the reader curious about the truths, so the conversation keeps going after the guess.
8 example answers
Illustrative examples written by us, not real profiles.
I've been stuck in an elevator for 3 hours. I can't whistle. I once won a pie-eating contest by accident.
I taught my grandad to text. He now sends me weather reports. I've never seen snow.
I've sung on a cruise ship. I've been banned from a bowling alley. I've never lost at Monopoly. Guess right and I'll explain.
I have a twin. I've read every Agatha Christie. I'm scared of geese, specifically.
I volunteer at a cat shelter on Tuesdays. I can do a decent cartwheel. I've lived in four countries.
I once got a standing ovation at a wedding. I've met the Queen's corgis. I make the best lasagna in Leeds.
I can name every bone in the hand. I hate cilantro. I've finished a marathon in a dinosaur costume.
I've planted 40 trees with my dad. I cried at a car advert last week. I can't swim.
Common mistakes
I'm a model, I'm 7 feet tall, I'm a billionaire.
I've fixed a stranger's bike in the rain. I'm allergic to kiwis. I've been on TV by mistake.
If all three are jokes, there's nothing to guess. Make every line believable.
I love dogs, I love travel, I hate pineapple on pizza.
I've adopted two retired greyhounds. I've taken a night train to Vienna. I've never eaten a hot dog.
Generic likes don't make a game. Turn each into a small, checkable fact.
I'm honest, I'm loyal, I'm a liar.
I once returned a wallet with $400 in it. I've never broken a bone. I'm terrible at keeping secrets.
Personality adjectives aren't facts. Show the trait with a story-sized truth.
Pair it with
If one of your truths has a photo, use it, but don't caption the answer. Let them guess first.
- I'm in my element when
- The way to win me over is
- A shower thought I recently had
- I go crazy for
- A photo: doing the thing you mentioned. Turns a prompt claim into proof: the climbing wall, the pottery wheel, the pizza oven.
- A photo: with friends, you obvious. Shows you have people. One photo is enough, and you should be easy to find in it.
More on building the whole profile: How to improve your Hinge profile.
Questions people ask
Should I reveal the lie?
No. The guess is the conversation starter. Tell them when they message.
How hard should the lie be to spot?
Hard enough to make people think, easy enough to guess. One surprising truth usually does the trick.
Is it a cliché to pick this prompt?
It's a popular one, which is why the details matter. Three specific lines stand out; three generic ones blend in.