The old way to decide, on your phone
Drawing straws is one of the oldest ways to pick someone fairly: everyone pulls a straw from a closed hand, and whoever gets the short straw loses. Here the hand holds virtual straws, and which ones are short is decided before the first draw with a cryptographically secure random number generator.
Type the names (or just the number of people), choose a reason – who pays, who washes up, who drives – and pass the phone around. Each person taps a straw; it rises and shows whether it is long or short. You can also use several short straws, for example to pick two people for the dishes.
How to use
- Type the names, one per line – or just set the number of people.
- Choose how many short straws there are and, if you like, what it is for.
- Pass the phone: each person taps one straw when it is their turn.
- The game ends as soon as all short straws are found. Or tap Reveal all.
Ideas for using it
- Restaurant bill. one short straw decides who pays for the coffees.
- Flat share. two short straws: who cleans the kitchen this week.
- Road trip. who drives the first stretch.
- Games night. who goes first, or who has to sing.