A HUMAN WILL REPLY

SUPPORT

Hot Seat is an after-dinner game show for the whole table. One phone, two to six players, and a question that always has a number for an answer. Closest guess wins the round.

Get in touch

Email hello@commonwealth-systems.com and a human will reply. Telling us your device and iOS version helps.

Common questions

HOW DO WE PLAY?
Everyone gathers round one phone. Add players, choose how many rounds, and pass the phone. Each player answers the same question, the closest guess takes the round, and the most rounds takes the show.
WHY IS EVERY ANSWER A NUMBER?
So that "closest" means something. It's what lets a six-year-old and a grown-up play the same question honestly — you don't have to know the answer, you have to be closer than everyone else.
DO WE NEED WIFI?
No. The questions are built into the app, scoring is arithmetic done on your device, and spoken answers are recognised on the device too. You can play on a plane. The only thing that needs a connection is asking for a custom topic.
THE ANNOUNCER ISN'T TALKING.
Check the ANNOUNCER · ON / OFF switch on the title screen and in the score bar during a show. If it's on and you still hear nothing, check the ring/silent switch and the volume. If your device's screen reader (VoiceOver) is running, the announcer deliberately stays quiet so the two don't talk over each other.
THE VOICE SOUNDS DIFFERENT FOR PLAYERS' NAMES.
The announcer's lines are recorded, but your family's names obviously can't be — so those are spoken by the device itself. That's why the voice changes for a name.
CAN WE ANSWER OUT LOUD INSTEAD OF TYPING?
Yes — tap the microphone and say your answer. Your words are turned into a number by the speech recognition built into iOS, entirely on the device: no audio ever leaves your phone, and it works with no connection at all. Everything can always be typed instead, and the microphone is never required.
HOW DO WE REMOVE A PLAYER, OR START OVER?
Tap the ✕ next to a player on the lineup screen. To end a show early, use the back arrow or the home button on the final screen.
WHAT IS THE FAMILY PASS?
An optional subscription ($4.99/month or $39.99/year, billed by Apple) that unlocks unlimited custom topics: type anything and the show writes a fresh round about it, pitched to the youngest player's age. The game is complete without it — every bundled question, spoken answers, the full announcer, and the whole scoring system work with no purchase, and every install gets 3 custom topics free. Manage or cancel it in your Apple account settings: Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions.
I PAID BUT IT ISN'T SHOWING.
Open the pass screen and tap RESTORE PURCHASE. If that doesn't work, email us with the date of purchase and we'll sort it out.
HOW DO I DELETE OUR DATA?
Delete the app. Player names, ages and the Hall of Fame are stored only on your device, so removing the app removes all of it.
IS IT OK FOR KIDS?
Yes — it's built for families. There's no chat, no social features, no ads, and no way for a stranger to reach your table. Questions are chosen to suit the youngest player's age.

Privacy policy: playhotseat.app/privacy