Wink Murder - Other Variants

Other Variants

Murder handshake is a variation where the players are expected to shake hands, and the murderer kills by using a special handshake, usually scratching the victim's palm. Many prefer this version to the winking version because "killing" someone is not as easily noticeable by third parties, and there's less chance for error (e.g. if a player blinks while looking at someone from the side, it could be interpreted as a wink even if he/she is not the actual killer).

Vampire is a variation in which the role of "murderer" is replaced with "vampire". The vampire kills by subtly baring his or her teeth at a victim, who takes a few more steps and then dies, perhaps with a theatrical shriek.

Blink is a variation where everyone keeps blinking at a fast rate and the murderer quickly 'winks' and that person dies.

Harpo Marx in his book Harpo Speaks described a version of this game at the home of Alexander Woollcott, called Murder. Lots are drawn to choose a District Attorney, then drawn a second time to choose (known only to him- or herself) a Murderer. The D.A. leaves the house and the social evening proceeds as normal. As soon as the Murderer is alone with someone, he says to that person You are dead. The victim must immediately feign death until discovered, then the D.A. is summoned and questions the suspects (everyone) as to where they were, what they were doing, and with whom. The D.A. then uses deductive reasoning to solve the case. Marx said he played the Murderer once, and wrote the deadly phrase on a piece of toilet paper. His victim, Alice Duer Miller, pulled it down and properly "died" on the toilet, but grade-school dropout Marx was immediately identified when she was found; he had written You are ded.