A lot of the people I know that are on Tinder seem to use it more as entertainment than a sincere effort to find a date. So it only made sense that in a rare period where my whole squad was single this summer, we turned the dating app into a game: Tinder Bingo. If you also mindlessly swipe through the faces without seriously considering them as potential partners, or even if you take the app more seriously, it might be a fun game for you.
Tinder Bingo relies on the stereotypical profile – I’m sure everyone knows what I’m talking about. My friends and I all date men, so we saw a lot of shirtless selfies and gym photos, but the game works for other profiles as well. Feel free to switch it up to make it more your style!
Without further ado, here’s how to play: First, either print off a blank bingo card, or draw one yourself – it should be divided into five squares horizontal by five squares vertical. Then, each player fills in the squares with common things they find on profiles. These can be either statements in bios, or certain types of photos they see a lot.
Once everyone has filled out their card, it’s time to swipe! When you find someone that falls under one of your statements, cross off that square. Make sure you show everyone to prove you’re playing fairly, and to share the crazy things you came up with. The first one to fill out their card gets Bingo!
Some fun ideas to get you started:
Photo with a Puppy
It might not even be their puppy, and you know they only posted this because they think girls won’t be able to swipe left on a cute dog. But somehow they’re right? I once swiped right on a profile claiming to belong to a dog named Waffles, I guess I couldn’t resist those puppy-eyes.
Shirtless Mirror Photo
Ah, the classic pose. How else are you supposed to know he goes to the gym? Bonus points if he’s flexing, or if his face is cropped out.
“420 Friendly”
Possibly accompanied with a photo of him smoking. I’ve never known anyone to be more likely to go out with someone because they smoke pot, but maybe that’s just me. Maybe he just needs a platform to share his political views, nothing wrong with that.
“Looking for Someone to Adventure with”
I had no idea how many people in Victoria loved camping until I went on Tinder. Similarly, there are also countless photos of guys holding fish, standing on top of a mountain, or posing in front of a river. Not that I blame them, Vancouver Island is a beautiful place, with so many places to explore. Everyone needs an adventure buddy.
Quote from “The Office”
This one is pretty specific, yet we always seemed to be able to find someone to match it. If you swipe right to this one, feel free to invite them to “Netflix and Chill”.
Lists Height in Bio
Usually followed by “…if that matters”.
Photo with Alcohol
Or he mentions his drink of choice in his bio. It usually seems to be beer or whiskey, even though secretly he probably loves a nice glass of rosé.
Photo with a Possible Significant Other
Have they broken up since this photo was taken? Is it a sibling? A close friend? You can’t quite tell what the story is, but they’re kissing them on the cheek and they’re wearing matching tacky Christmas sweaters, so you’re a little suspicious.
Emojis in Bio
Bonus points if it’s a winky face or an eggplant emoji.
Photo of a Car
He might not even have a photo of themselves on their profile, but he makes sure to get every angle of his jeep, along with listing it as an interest.
Lists Major as Engineering
Or one of the other STEM fields.
Your Ex
There’s no way to win in this situation; it’s awkward if you match, awkward if you don’t. Mostly you hope they aren’t using any of the photos you took of them when you were together. But let’s be honest, they probably are- you always had the best photos of him for your #mcm instagram posts.
No matter how you use Tinder, it can be fun to take a step back and laugh at some of the more ridiculous aspects of the app. There’s definitely nothing wrong with any of the people including these on their profile, and maybe Tinder Bingo will help you find your soulmate! Even if it doesn’t, why not use it to relax with some friends while wearing face masks and binge watching Stranger Things 2? Dating can be stressful, and being able to laugh about it can help.
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