How to Play Mona Lisa Eating Pizza
HOW TO PLAY — MONA LISA EATING PIZZA
WHAT IS MONA LISA EATING PIZZA?
Mona Lisa Eating Pizza (MLEP) is a hilarious rhyming card game where players study a single wildly funny image and race to guess the two rhyming words or phrases hidden inside the scene — before the 60-second sand timer runs out!
Each card shows a "Rhymage" — one image where two unexpected elements combine into a rhyming phrase. Can you spot a cactus at soccer practice? A turtle jumping hurdles? The trick is that the RARER your correct answer, the MORE points you score. So thinking differently actually pays off!
Quick Stats:
- 👥 Players: 2–5 (6–10 with two decks or team play)
- ⏱ Play time: 30–45 minutes
- 🎨 Ages: 14+
WHAT'S IN THE BOX
- 200 image cards (25 cards per game across 8 colored decks)
- 40 answer key cards
- Score pad with score sheets
- 1-minute sand timer
- Instruction sheet
KEY TERM TO KNOW
Rhymage — the rhyming phrase hidden inside each card's image. Two elements in the scene combine into a rhyming answer. For example, a card showing a cactus playing soccer = "Cactus at Soccer Practice." Spotting the Rhymage is the whole game!
SETUP
- Choose one of the 8 colored decks to play with
- Each deck contains 5 rounds of gameplay
- The dealer (which rotates each round) controls the sand timer
- For exactly 5 players: each player receives one card face down
- For fewer than 5 players: deal one card face down to each player, place remaining cards in a Draw Pile to the left of the dealer, and create a Discard Pile to the right of the last player
- For 6–10 players: combine two decks and split into teams
HOW TO PLAY
Each round lasts 60 seconds. Here's what happens:
Step 1 — Look at your card Each player secretly looks at their card and studies the image. Find the two elements in the scene that rhyme and write down your answer. Don't show anyone!
Step 2 — Switch! When the timer runs out, the dealer shouts "Switch!" and all players pass their card clockwise. (If playing with fewer than 5 players, the dealer draws a new card from the Draw Pile and the last player places their card in the Discard Pile.)
Step 3 — Repeat The timer resets and players repeat this process until everyone has seen every card in play.
Step 4 — Reveal Once the round is finished, the dealer reads the correct answers from the Answer Key card. Time to find out how well you did!
SCORING
Points are based on how many players guessed a card correctly — the rarer the correct answer, the more it's worth!
- All 5 players correct = 1 point each
- 4 players correct = 2 points each
- 3 players correct = 3 points each
- 2 players correct = 4 points each
- Only 1 player correct = 5 points
- Bonus: exact match to the Answer Key = +1 additional point
Players total their own points (honor system applies). The player with the highest score after all 5 rounds wins!
THE FINAL / SPEED ROUND
The last round cranks up the intensity!
- All cards are spread out face-up in the center of the table
- The entire round lasts just 60 seconds TOTAL
- Players grab ONE card at a time, study the image, write down their answer, then grab another
- Keep grabbing and guessing until the timer runs out
- ALL scoring is doubled in the Speed Round, including Bonus Points!
ADDITIONAL RULES
- Answers always contain two closely rhyming words or phrases
- "Close enough" answers are decided by group vote — thumbs up/thumbs down, majority rules
- If both rhyming words are present in your guess, the answer is considered correct
TIPS FOR A GREAT GAME NIGHT
- Say your Rhymage out loud when guessing — the wrong answers are half the fun
- Don't overthink it! Your first instinct is often right
- The Speed Round is chaos in the best possible way — embrace it
- Try playing in teams for 6+ players — it gets even more competitive