150 excuses

Wheel of Excuses

Spin an excuse nobody could believe, then defend it with a straight face while the group asks questions.

Wheel of Excuses

Click the button or the wheel, or press Space or Enter. Press again to skip.Tap the button or the wheel. Tap again to skip.

Sample result

The group chat had 214 unread messages and I needed supplies before going in.

The group asks: what supplies?

My list: 24 of 150 excuses on the wheel

Add your own

Your own go on the wheel with the excuses.

More options

Each winner leaves the wheel before the next spin.

The wheel shows 24 of 150 excuses. Every spin picks from all 150.

Results

No spins yet.

On the wheel

Next step Story told? Move on to truth or dare Put your own excuses on a wheel

All 150 excuses

Late for work 25

A goose was guarding my driveway and we could not come to terms. The group asks: what did the goose want?
A pigeon gave me directions, and I now think it was guessing. The group asks: what did the pigeon say, exactly?
A squirrel looked at me like it knew something, and I had to find out what. The group asks: what did the squirrel know?
A street magician picked me as his volunteer and the trick ran long. The group asks: what was the trick?
The elevator and I disagreed about which floor I wanted. The group asks: which floor did it choose for you?
Gravity was unusually strong around my bed this morning. The group asks: how strong, on a scale of one to ten?
I dreamed I was already at work, so I thought the day was covered. The group asks: what did you get done in the dream?
I followed the person in front of me, and it turns out they do not work here. The group asks: where do they work?
I got stuck behind a very slow parade of ducklings. The group asks: how many ducklings, exactly?

Show all 150 excuses (141 more)

Late for work, continued

I left on time, but my shadow was not ready and I do not like to rush it. The group asks: what was the shadow doing?
I left on time, but my shoelaces were tied to each other. The group asks: who tied them?
I was busy rehearsing what I would say about being late. The group asks: can we hear the version you rehearsed?
I was early yesterday, so I assumed it would average out. The group asks: how early, to the minute?
I was halfway here when I noticed I was still wearing slippers. The group asks: describe the slippers.
My alarm clock and I are no longer on speaking terms. The group asks: what was the last thing it said to you?
My coffee was too hot to drink and too important to leave behind. The group asks: how long does a coffee take to cool?
My horoscope said to avoid rushing. The group asks: what is your sign, and what else did it say?
My keys went on vacation without me and sent a postcard. The group asks: where was the postcard from?
My map app sent me through a hedge maze and wished me luck. The group asks: how did you get out?
My reflection and I could not agree on a hat. The group asks: who won?
My shoes were hiding, and they are better at hiding than I am at seeking. The group asks: where were they in the end?
My toast landed butter side down and I needed time to process it. The group asks: what did you have instead?
My umbrella turned inside out and I felt I owed it a moment. The group asks: is the umbrella all right now?
The snooze button made a very persuasive case. The group asks: what was its best argument?
The sunrise was running late, and I did not want to start without it. The group asks: how late was the sunrise?

Skipping the gym 25

The gym is too far to walk to, and driving there defeats the point. The group asks: how far is it, really?
I already raised my heart rate today by opening my inbox. The group asks: which email did it?
I am letting the other members have a turn on the machines. The group asks: how long a turn?
I am saving my energy for one really big workout some time next year. The group asks: which day next year?
I am waiting for a wheel to tell me which exercises to do. The group asks: and if the wheel says squats?
I carried all the groceries in one trip, and that was arm day and leg day. The group asks: how many bags?
I could not find two matching socks, and I have standards. The group asks: what did the closest pair look like?
I did not want the treadmill to feel used. The group asks: how does the treadmill feel about that?
I did one push-up and felt that any more would be showing off. The group asks: who were you worried about impressing?
I do not want to peak too early in the year. The group asks: when is the peak planned for?
I ran late all day, which is basically running. The group asks: what was your best time?
I read an article about exercise, which counts as cardio for the mind. The group asks: what did the article say?
I vacuumed the whole house very thoroughly and I am counting it. The group asks: how many rooms?
I walked to the fridge and back several times, and it adds up. The group asks: what is your fridge mileage this week?
I went last month and I am still thinking about it. The group asks: what did you do there?
I went upstairs twice for my phone, so the stair machine is covered. The group asks: where was the phone?
I wrestled a fitted sheet onto a mattress and, frankly, I won. The group asks: how many rounds did it go?
It is raining. The gym is indoors, but it is the principle. The group asks: which principle is that?
My blanket has me in a hold I cannot break. The group asks: what is the name of that hold?
My gym bag is packed and by the door, which felt like enough for one day. The group asks: how long has it been by the door?
My sneakers are very clean and I would like to keep them that way. The group asks: when did you buy them?
My stretchy pants are in the wash and I refuse to exercise in jeans. The group asks: when did they go in the wash?
My workout playlist is not finished, and you cannot rush art. The group asks: what is track one?
Rest days matter, and I take all seven of mine very seriously. The group asks: which one is your favorite?
The sofa needed me. The group asks: what did the sofa say, word for word?

Missing a deadline 25

The cat walked across the keyboard and her version was better, so I started again. The group asks: what did the cat write?
The E on my keyboard is stuck, and have you seen how many words need one? The group asks: explain that again with no letter E.
Future me promised to handle it, and future me is unreliable. The group asks: what does future me have to say?
I asked myself for an extension and I said yes. The group asks: how long did you give yourself?
I buried the file in the garden for safekeeping, and the dog has moved it. The group asks: where has the dog been digging?
I color-coded my to-do list so carefully that no time was left to do any of it. The group asks: what color is this task?
I finished it in my head and forgot to tell my hands. The group asks: how good was the head version?
I finished it, then improved it until it stopped working. The group asks: which improvement broke it?
I got to 99 percent, and the last one percent is taking as long as the first 99. The group asks: what is in the one percent?
I made a snack, the snack became a meal, and the meal became a nap. The group asks: what was the snack?
I named the files final, final2 and final-real, and lost track of which is final. The group asks: what is in final2?
I opened one tab for research and came to three hours later, an expert on octopuses. The group asks: tell us one octopus fact.
I set a reminder, then a reminder to check the reminder, and ignored them both. The group asks: what did the reminders say?
I spent the week making a very detailed plan for doing it. The group asks: what is step one of the plan?
I thought the deadline was more of a guideline. The group asks: what gave you that idea?
I tidied my desk first, then my room, then somehow the garage. The group asks: what did you find in the garage?
I was busy making the progress chart for the project look nice. The group asks: what does the chart say?
I was nearly finished when I decided the whole thing needed a better font. The group asks: which font won?
I was waiting for inspiration, and it got held up somewhere. The group asks: when is it due in?
I work best under pressure, and there was not enough of it until an hour ago. The group asks: how is the pressure now?
I wrote it all down on a napkin, and then there was soup. The group asks: what kind of soup?
It is done. It is just not written down yet. The group asks: where is it, then?
My calendar is still on last year, and last year this was not due. The group asks: what else is your calendar wrong about?
My laptop started an update in 2019 and says it is nearly there. The group asks: what percent is it on?
The printer sensed that I was in a hurry. The group asks: what did the printer do?

Leaving a party early 25

I am leaving now so that you remember me as fun. The group asks: what is your most fun moment so far?
I am pacing myself for a party in 2031. The group asks: whose party is it?
I am trying to beat my record for fastest time into pajamas. The group asks: what is the record?
I came for the snacks, and the snacks are gone. The group asks: which snack went first?
I have a book at home that is just getting good. The group asks: what happens next, do you think?
I have an early appointment with my pillow. The group asks: what time is the pillow expecting you?
I have reached my limit for standing up while holding a plate. The group asks: what is on the plate?
I have run out of ways to ask "so, how do you know the host?" The group asks: so, how do you know the host?
I have to be up early to do absolutely nothing, and I want to be fresh for it. The group asks: what time does the nothing start?
I have to get home and feed my sourdough starter. The group asks: what is the starter called?
I have used up all three of my conversation topics. The group asks: what were the three?
I left my other party running. The group asks: who is at the other party?
I need to go home and think about everything I said tonight. The group asks: which sentence will keep you up?
I promised my dog a bedtime story. The group asks: which story is the dog's favorite?
I said my goodbyes twenty minutes ago and it would be odd to still be here. The group asks: who did you say goodbye to first?
I told my sofa I would be back by ten. The group asks: does the sofa wait up?
I turn into a pumpkin at ten, and nobody needs to see that. The group asks: what kind of pumpkin?
The last hot-air balloon home leaves at nine, and they do not wait. The group asks: where does it land?
My cat has set me a strict curfew. The group asks: what happens if you miss it?
My chatting muscles have cramped and I need to walk it off, all the way home. The group asks: which muscle went first?
My goldfish worries. The group asks: how can you tell?
My goodbye lap of the room takes an hour, so I had better begin. The group asks: who is first on the lap?
My plants get anxious if I am out after nine. The group asks: which plant worries the most?
The playlist has started to repeat, which is nature's way of saying go home. The group asks: which song came round again?
These are the fancy kind of shoes that stop working after two hours. The group asks: how long have you had them on?

Not texting back 25

The group chat had 214 unread messages and I needed supplies before going in. The group asks: what supplies?
I am drafting the perfect answer and I am on version nine. The group asks: what was wrong with version eight?
I answer messages in the order received, and there is a backlog from 2019. The group asks: who is at the front of the line?
I answered out loud and forgot you were not in the room. The group asks: what did you say?
I did answer, by carrier pigeon, and it should be with you soon. The group asks: describe the pigeon.
I fell asleep with the reply half typed, and it just says "Sounds g". The group asks: sounds what?
I left you on read because I was reading it very carefully. The group asks: what did you learn?
I opened it, got distracted by a bird, and the moment passed. The group asks: what was the bird doing?
I ran out of emojis. The group asks: which one did you use last?
I recorded a voice note eleven times and did not like my voice in any of them. The group asks: what was wrong with take eleven?
I replied in my head, and it was a great reply. The group asks: what did the reply say?
I saw it at a bad time, then at a worse time, and then it got awkward. The group asks: what was the worse time?
I sent you a thumbs up in my mind and assumed it had gone through. The group asks: how is the signal in there?
I typed a reply, put the phone down to think, and thought for four days. The group asks: what did you conclude?
I wanted my answer to arrive fashionably late. The group asks: what is it wearing?
I was saving my answer for a special occasion. The group asks: is this one?
I watched you typing, then you stopped, and I panicked. The group asks: what did you think was coming?
I wrote back in invisible ink by mistake. The group asks: what did it say?
The message arrived while I was holding a sandwich, and priorities are priorities. The group asks: what was in the sandwich?
My notifications are in a pile, and yours is near the bottom, holding the others up. The group asks: how tall is the pile?
My phone has gone on a silent retreat and asked not to be disturbed. The group asks: when does the retreat end?
My phone ran away with the TV remote and neither has been seen since. The group asks: where do you think they went?
My reply is still in rehearsal. The group asks: when is opening night?
My screen is cracked right across the spot where your name appears. The group asks: whose names can you still read?
Your message was so good I did not want to spoil it with an answer. The group asks: what did the message say?

Dodging the dishes 25

The dish soap is the wrong scent and I cannot work like this. The group asks: which scent can you work with?
The dishwasher is full of clean dishes, and unloading is a separate job. The group asks: whose job is unloading?
The hot water takes ages to arrive and I respect its journey. The group asks: where does it travel from?
I am leaving them as a surprise for future me. The group asks: how will future me take it?
I am letting the pan think about what it did. The group asks: what did it do?
I am letting them soak until the weekend, for the flavor. The group asks: which flavor?
I am running an experiment on how long a fork can wait. The group asks: what are the results so far?
I am waiting for enough dishes to make it worth the water. The group asks: how many is enough?
I cannot reach the sink past the dishes. The group asks: how did it get that far?
I cooked, and the ancient law says the cook does not wash. The group asks: who wrote that law?
I did not want to break up the tower, because it has real structural beauty. The group asks: what is holding it up?
I did the big plate, and the big plate counts as three. The group asks: who decided that?
I rinsed them, which is most of washing. The group asks: what is the rest of washing?
I thought we were going for a lived-in look. The group asks: who agreed to that look?
I used one glass all day, so my share is one glass. The group asks: where is the glass now?
I washed up last time, and I have a very long memory. The group asks: when was last time, exactly?
I will do them after this episode, which is the longest episode ever made. The group asks: what are you watching?
I would, but my feet have clocked out for the day. The group asks: when does their next shift start?
It is someone else's turn. I can feel it. The group asks: whose turn, and how do you know?
My hands have only just dried and I would hate to undo that. The group asks: when did they get wet?
My sleeves are the wrong length for washing up. The group asks: what is the right length?
The pan told me it needed more time. The group asks: how much more time?
Somebody told me to let things go. The group asks: who told you that, and about what?
The sponge looked at me funny. The group asks: describe the look.
They are soaking. The group asks: since when?

How this list was compiled: 150 joke excuses in six situations, each with a question for the group to ask, written for this site on 2026-09-18. They are written as jokes to be told to people who are in on it: most are too silly for anyone to believe, and none is about illness, injury, transport trouble, family news or an emergency. A handful in Dodging the dishes are the excuses people really use at home, which is the joke. The question under each excuse makes the player defend the story with a straight face. The improv terms used on the page (offer; Yes, and) follow Wikipedia's article on improvisational theatre, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Improvisational_theatre, checked 2026-09-18. Spotted a line that does not belong? Tell us through the contact page. Licence: own work

How it works

This wheel of excuses holds 150 reasons nobody could believe, sorted into six situations: late for work, skipping the gym, missing a deadline, leaving a party early, not texting back and dodging the dishes. Spin one, read it out with a straight face, then answer the follow-up question printed under it. They are jokes, not alibis.

Read the full guide

Play it as a straight-face game

Pick a situation, or let the group accuse the spinner of one. Spin and read the excuse aloud as if it were true. The line under the result is the group's question: what did the goose want? Answer without laughing or changing your story and you score a point. Crack a smile and the phone moves on. First to five wins. The wheel opens in Elimination, so no excuse comes round twice while the page stays open.

Jokes, not alibis

Most lines are too silly for anyone to believe. The rest, like They are soaking, are the ones everybody already sees through. None is about illness, injury, transport, family news or an emergency, so nothing here passes for a true reason with a boss or a doctor. When you really are late, the true reason and an arrival time do more for you than any story. Save these for rooms where everyone is in on the joke.

Type a result into the group chat when a friend asks where you are. A goose reads as an apology and a joke in one.
Hosting a meeting? Spin Late for work once as an icebreaker and let the last person to arrive answer the question.
My list takes your group's running excuses, such as the one a friend uses every week. Each line is cut at 60 characters, so keep them short.

Questions and answers

Will these excuses actually work?

No, and they are not meant to. Nobody will accept that a goose kept you from work or that your reply is still in rehearsal. They work as jokes between people who know you are joking. For a real delay, send the true reason and the time you will arrive.

Can I use the wheel for improv practice?

Yes. In improv terms each excuse is an offer, a line that sets one fact of the scene, and the answer to an offer is "Yes, and". Accept the excuse as true, then add one detail each time the group asks a question.

Which situation should we start with?

Dodging the dishes, because everyone at the table has used a real one. Its 25 excuses run from They are soaking to I rinsed them, which is most of washing. If the argument is real, let the chore wheel pick who washes up.

Wheel of Excuses

Results

Tally

On the wheel

Numbers on the wheel

All 150 excuses

Late for work 25

Late for work, continued

Skipping the gym 25

Missing a deadline 25

Leaving a party early 25

Not texting back 25

Dodging the dishes 25

How it works

Play it as a straight-face game

Jokes, not alibis

Questions and answers

More tools