Rebus Puzzles: The Ancient Brain Game That’s Surprisingly Great for Team Building
You’ve probably solved a rebus puzzle before without even knowing what it was.
Ever seen something like this?
If you guessed “mind over matter”, congrats — you’re already a Rebus champ.
These visual word puzzles have been around for centuries. Lately, they’ve found a new home in our field day and color war events. Why? They’re creative, collaborative, and can even be enhanced with a dose of physicality.
Before we move on, here’s our first of five Throwback-themed Rebus puzzles in this post. This one is a classic playground game. Can you crack it? The answers to the five puzzles are at the bottom of this post.
What Is a Rebus (and Where Did It Come From)?
A Rebus puzzle is a visual riddle where pictures, letters, symbols, and words represent phrases, idioms, or compound words.
It might look like a random set of images or oddly arranged text at first glance. But when you "read" it aloud or puzzle it out, it reveals a hidden message.
Here’s one with some simple letters and emojis. Eye Sea U = “I see you.”
But it doesn’t limit itself to the Rebus of the Day that you might see in a newspaper. These puzzles have existed since ancient times. People have been using them in everything from political propaganda to secret codes.
Ok, here’s our second Throwback-themed Rebus puzzle. This one encapsulates a core offering of ours. Reminder - the answers to the five puzzles are at the bottom of this post.
Ancient Origins
Some linguists believe that the Chinese developed their writing system based on the rebus principle. And Egyptian hieroglyphs sometimes used a similar system.
By the 15th and 16th centuries, rebuses started appearing in emblems, riddles, and even love notes. They became a playful way to communicate hidden or romantic messages.
The word ‘Rebus’ took hold during these medieval times. It is shorthand for the Latin phrase “non verbis, sed rebus.” Translated means “not by words, but by things.” Put another way, conveying a message not through direct language, but through symbols, images, or arrangements of letters.
In 18th- and 19th-century puzzle books and newspapers, rebuses became a popular form of entertainment for children and adults.
In the 20th century, rebus puzzles became even more popular thanks to games and TV shows. In 1965, ABC's The Rebus Game had contestants creating their own rebuses to communicate answers. And in the 1990s, Nickelodeon's Get the Picture featured a segment called "Rebus Mania."
Here’s puzzle #3. What do you think??
Why Rebus Puzzles Work for Team Building
Rebus puzzles are more than just clever brainteasers. They’re a surprisingly powerful tool for sparking collaboration, creativity, and some good old-fashioned “aha!” moments.
Here’s why they work so well in a group setting:
They tap into a variety of skills
Some team members are visual thinkers. Others love wordplay or excel at lateral thinking. Rebus puzzles give everyone a chance to shine.
Solving them often requires a combination of skills, which makes teamwork essential. It keeps everyone involved and engaged — no one is stuck sitting on the sidelines.
Want to make it even more dynamic? Turn it into a relay race! Players must sprint across the field to retrieve a rebus puzzle, then race back to their team to solve it before their competitors.
They encourage creativity
When teams create their own rebus puzzles, they become super imaginative. It’s part riddle-writing and part design challenge.
No matter if the theme is company culture, pop culture, or just silly ideas, they make people think creatively.
We’ve seen teams turn inside jokes into puzzles, reference department quirks, and even poke fun at their managers. A great way to get people laughing and connecting in a low-pressure environment.
They work across all kinds of themes
Rebuses are easy to tailor. Whether you're referencing your company’s mission, onboarding new hires, or doing a “Guess That TV Show” challenge. They slot perfectly into games that are clever, not cringey.
They’re low-lift but high engagement
No props, no setup, and no mess. Just some creative prompts and a few minutes to brainstorm or solve. They’re perfect for teams that are short on time or space but still want something meaningful and energizing.
Our 4th Throwback-themed Rebus puzzle. We know you’ve played this game before!
Team Challenge Ideas: Turning Rebuses into Friendly Chaos
Here are a few ways we’ve turned Rebus puzzles into laugh-out-loud, think-outside-the-box moments at team events:
1. Create-a-Rebus
This one flips the script: instead of solving a puzzle, your team builds one.
Split into small groups and give each one a theme — maybe your company values, famous movie titles, or “phrases your boss says too often.” Their job? Come up with a few custom rebus puzzles that the rest of the group will later try to solve.
This works especially well because it encourages collaboration, inside jokes, and a ton of creativity. Plus, watching people try to guess your puzzle is half the fun.
2. Speed Solve Showdown
This one’s about brains under pressure.
You show a puzzle (project it, print it, whatever works), and teams race to solve it. First team to crack it gets the point. Keep things snappy with a timer and build in some tricky ones to level the playing field.
Want to make it even better? Include a “stump the crowd” round where teams present a puzzle they made — and get bonus points if no one can solve it.
3. Rebus Puzzle Hunt
Perfect for events in larger spaces or hybrid indoor-outdoor setups.
Hide printed puzzles around the office or event venue like clues in a scavenger hunt. Teams find them, solve them, and use the answers to unlock the next location or puzzle. It’s like a mini escape room meets visual wordplay.
This one blends movement, strategy, and problem-solving, which makes it great as part of a larger field day or office Olympics rotation.
The 5th and final Rebus puzzle. No hints this time! Remember the answers to all five puzzles are below.
Throwback Rebus Puzzle Answers
Freeze Tag
Color War
Home Run
Dodgeball
High Five
Bonus Email Answer: Sharks & Minnows
Interested in more Rebus-inspired challenges? Or maybe you’d like a hand in planning a full team outing. Hit the button below and we’ll tailor an event for your group!