The Badge Archive

Games – Password Catchphrase

Info Needed for badge requirements: For a secure password: Use the VTK Password Checklist by GSUSA. Never reuse passwords across accounts. Change your password if you think it’s been hacked. Hackers can crack passwords in two main ways: Dictionary Attack: Hackers use lists of common passwords to guess quickly. Brute Force Attack: Hackers try every possible combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Longer passwords with mixed characters take much more time to crack.

Items Needed

  • A list of passwords written on small cards or slips of paper
  • A timer (or a phone with a timer app)
  • A container to hold the password cards

Instructions

  1. Place the password cards in the container.
  2. Divide the Scouts into two teams. Select one Scout from the first team to be the clue-giver.
  3. Set a time limit for each round (e.g., 30-60 seconds).
  4. The clue-giver draws a password card without showing it to their team. They must describe the password without saying any part of the word, spelling it out, or using gestures.
    • Encourage Scouts to use creative descriptions and synonyms. Keep the energy positive and celebrate each Scout’s effort.
  5. Their team tries to guess the password within the time limit.
    • If the team guesses correctly before time runs out, they earn a point.
    • If they can’t guess it, the round ends without a point being awarded.
    • If a Scout accidentally says the password, the round ends and the other team gets a turn.
  6. The opposing team then takes a turn with their clue-giver.
  7. Continue playing until all Scouts have had a chance to be the clue-giver or for a set number of rounds.
    • The team with the most points at the end wins.
    • Alternatively, for cooperative play, challenge the group to beat a shared high score.

That sounds like a fantastic game for young Scouts! Here’s a step-by-step guide that a Scout leader can follow:

Sample List of Passwords

To create a “good password list” while still making them guessable, use a combination of:

  • Familiar words that Scouts can describe.
  • Secure formatting with numbers, symbols, and letter variations.

Here are passwords that fit the criteria:

  1. S!lv3rC@mp78
  2. Tr34sure!F0x9
  3. W@veSk!pper62
  4. C@stl3&Dr@g0n5
  5. Sh@rkT@ilX21
  6. M00n!beam&47
  7. L!ghtn1ngF@r15
  8. S@ndc@stle74!*
  9. Bumbl3Bee@9
  10. F!r3worksX36
  11. R@!nbowTrek71
  12. L0tus@P@th54
  13. Pir@te$!Ch!ef98
  14. Wh!stleC@mp92
  15. Gl!mm3rF@ctB8
  16. Thund3rStorm!X2
  17. Marshm@llowZ69
  18. P0rtS@il$28!
  19. Cr0wnedKn!ght11
  20. G@l@xyVoy@ger55
  21. St@rL!ght9X
  22. R@!nbow7T
  23. T0yCh3st$48
  24. L!onH3art56
  25. S@ndP@il92!
  26. B3llCh!m3X7
  27. P!gletF@rm98
  28. B@ll0onR1de6
  29. C@ndyT0wn$23
  30. F@!ryDust7X
  31. Tr3eH0use$51
  32. G@l@xyP@rth2!
  33. Ch!ckN3st92X
  34. M@rshM@llow5T
  35. S@!lorF!nX78
  36. L!ghtB3am92!
  37. P@nc@keFl!p45
  38. P0pC0rnT@st3
  39. F!zzySodaX9T
  40. Wh!stleP@th43

These passwords have added security features—numbers, symbols, and character substitutions—but they’re still recognizable enough for Scouts to provide meaningful clues. If needed, you could adjust the complexity based on their level of comfort with the format.

A more simplistic list would be:

  1. TurtleSky55!
  2. StarLionX3
  3. TrainCloud99
  4. BubbleTiger77$
  5. RocketSand5!
  6. PandaMoon22
  7. TreeCastleX9
  8. WaveFox44@
  9. RainbowNest88
  10. Firefish21!
  11. StormLeaf92
  12. DragonBellX6
  13. SnowPirate72$
  14. GlitterDaisy35!
  15. ThunderPuppy48
  16. MarshmallowSky99
  17. SapphireOwlX7
  18. LighthousePanda14!
  19. GalaxyFrog32
  20. SunflowerFox82$

Variations:

  • Cooperative Play—Challenge the group to beat a shared high score.
  • Use One-Word Clues—Instead of describing the password freely, the clue-giver can only say a single word, making the guessing process more challenging.
  • Turn-Based Play—Have two teams take turns giving clues, rather than letting one team keep guessing until time runs out.

References:

Tia Kennard