How to Play Hunt the Slipper

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Hunt the Slipper is a fast-moving circle game in which a group of seated players pass a slipper secretly behind their backs while one player in the centre tries to catch it. The game rewards sharp eyes, quick hands, and a good poker face, and it generates genuine laughter in almost any group.

It is played indoors, typically in a living room or hall with enough floor space for players to sit comfortably in a circle. It needs no equipment beyond a single shoe or slipper, making it a reliable choice for family gatherings, children's parties, and youth group sessions.

A little history

Hunt the Slipper is traditionally counted among the classic British parlour games, and references to it appear in nineteenth-century collections of domestic amusements. Its precise origins are unclear, but it was well established in Victorian households alongside games such as Blind Man's Buff and Pass the Parcel. It has remained a staple of children's parties throughout the twentieth century and continues to be played largely unchanged from those early recorded versions.

Setting up

1. Clear a space large enough for all players to sit on the floor in a circle, knees bent and feet flat, facing inward.
2. All players except one sit in the circle. The remaining player stands or sits in the centre.
3. One seated player holds the slipper to start. All seated players place their hands behind their backs ready to pass.
4. Agree before starting whether a time limit per round or a points system will be used, or whether play is simply for fun.

How to play

1. The centre player closes their eyes or turns away briefly while the slipper is placed with one of the circle players.
2. The centre player turns to face the circle and calls out 'Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe, give it back when it is new!' (or a simpler agreed signal). Passing begins immediately.
3. Seated players pass the slipper from hand to hand behind their backs, moving it around the circle in either direction. Players must keep both hands behind their backs at all times, whether or not they currently hold the slipper.
4. Players use facial expressions, body movements, and decoy gestures to mislead the centre player about the slipper's location.
5. The centre player watches carefully and, when confident, points directly at one seated player and calls their guess.
6. The accused player must immediately show both hands from behind their back. If the slipper is in either hand, they are caught and swap places with the centre player.
7. If the guess is wrong, passing continues and the centre player must keep watching. There is no penalty for a wrong guess beyond losing the time spent on that attempt.
8. Play continues until someone is caught, at which point the caught player becomes the new centre player and a fresh round begins.

Winning and scoring

In casual play there is no formal winner: players simply rotate through the centre role and the entertainment is the point. For a scored version, award one point to the centre player each time they correctly catch the slipper holder, and one point to the circle collectively for each successful pass of a full circuit without detection. Play to an agreed total, such as ten points, to determine a winner. In children's party play, keeping score is usually unnecessary and best omitted.

The fine points

The most common dispute concerns what counts as 'holding' the slipper. The standard ruling is that if any part of the slipper is in contact with a player's hand at the moment they are accused, they are caught. A slipper in transit between two players, with neither hand fully gripping it, is judged to belong to the player who most recently had clear possession. The centre player must nominate one specific person; pointing vaguely at a section of the circle is not a valid guess and should be called back.

Players sometimes keep one hand visibly behind their back but slide the slipper along the floor rather than passing it hand to hand. Agree before play whether floor-sliding is permitted. Most traditional rulings disallow it, requiring the slipper to travel via hands only. If a seated player drops the slipper so that it becomes visible, passing pauses, the slipper is retrieved behind backs, and the centre player earns one free guess as a penalty.

How to win more often

• Watch shoulders and elbows, not faces. Genuine passing movements show in the upper body even when players keep their expressions neutral.
• As a circle player, practise receiving and passing in one smooth, continuous motion rather than pausing to grip the slipper securely. Speed matters more than a firm hold.
• Use false movement: even when you do not have the slipper, shift your shoulders and arms as though passing. Convincing decoys are as valuable as the real pass.
• If you are in the centre, resist the temptation to guess quickly. Wait until you see a player whose arm movement is slightly out of sync with their neighbours, which often signals a real handoff.
• Circle players should vary the direction of passing. Reversing the slipper mid-circuit is legal and dramatically increases difficulty for the centre player.

Variations

Hunt the Thimble (seated version)

A thimble or similarly small object replaces the slipper. Because the object is tiny, players can conceal it in a closed fist, making detection significantly harder. This version suits older children and adults who find the standard game too easy to crack.

Two Slippers

Two slippers enter the circle simultaneously, starting at opposite sides. The centre player must catch both holders before a round ends. This version is chaotic and works best with ten or more players. A caught player is replaced from outside the circle, keeping both games running until both slippers are caught.

Timed Passing

A designated timekeeper calls 'Stop!' at irregular intervals. Whoever holds the slipper at that moment is out and leaves the circle. The circle shrinks with each elimination until only two players remain, at which point the surviving circle player is declared the winner. This variant gives the game a clear endpoint and works well at parties.

Blindfold Hunter

The centre player wears a blindfold and must locate the slipper by listening for the sounds of passing rather than watching. Players are forbidden from speaking or making deliberate noise. This version is considerably harder for the hunter and suits older players looking for a greater challenge.

Hunt the Slipper: frequently asked questions