This is the best game that you can play without any physical things. It is hard to explain but easy to play. So, channeling Aaron Tarnow, I will try to optimize my explanation of these rules. Here is a first cut:

Alice is the Wordmaster. Alice has a Master Word in her mind. Alice tells Bob, Carol, and Diane the first letter of the Master Word. Bob, Carol, and Diane offer challenges to Alice, in the form of a clue, that can be anything. (example: Alice’s word starts with C. Bob says “here’s a challenge: my favorite food.")

Alice gets as many guesses as she wants. (“Cabbage?” “nope.” “Celery!” “nope.") If she ever guesses it right, the challenge is defused and nothing happens.

Meanwhile, Carol and Diane, if they know the answer to Bob’s challenge, they say “Contact.” If not, they just don’t do anything.

If Alice can’t get it right and gives up, she goes “3, 2, 1, contact” and then immediately Bob and everyone who has Contacted says the word at the same time.

If they all match, then the challengers win and Alice says the next letter of her Master Word. If any do not match (or if nobody Contacted), the challenge is defused and nothing happens.

All challenges must begin with the letters of the Master Word that have been revealed so far. If a challenge ever has Alice’s secret Master Word as the answer, the person who offered it is the new Word Master.