To get started, two people must know how the game works. Sometimes you'll find someone familiar with the game that you can get started with, but otherwise, this will require telling someone how the game works. Though this necessary step is unfortunate, it should instead be viewed as an opportunity. While the person you spoil the secret for isn't given the chance to play properly, they do get to take part in the introduction, a small show before the group knows they're taking part in a game. (Exactly how the magic works will be come later in the rules, don't worry about it right now.)
The game begins with two players, an asker and an answerer. Prior to bringing up the trick to the group and playing the game, the asker and answerer make sure they understand how the game works and what they need to do. The answerer starts the game by confessing their telepathic ability to the group. After softly rebuffing any disbelief and answering questions vaguely and cryptically, they get around to conceding that they have a simple way they can demonstrate their power.
Though they are in on the game, the person that will eventually be the asker must take part in the disbelief (or remain relatively quiet). At the start, the person that knows the secret is the answerer's "plant" in the audience. At some point, without prompting and as a part of their explanation, the answerer will choose to "spread their magic" to the predetermined asker. (This is another good reason for the asker and answerer to make a plan. Try to ensure that the predetermined asker is the most plausible person to choose for the experiment.)
Explain that, to simply exhibit the power, a secret object is chosen in the room and the identity is kept from answerer. The secret object can be any object in the room within everyone's view. At all times the identity of the object is kept from the answerer, who will eventually intuit the item's identity magically. The asker can choose an item, or an item is relayed to them by one of the group (having the group choose the object can make the first few times even more powerful). At this point, everyone knows what the secret object is except for the answerer. To play a round of the game, the asker will now ask "Is X the secret object" where X is any object that could be the secret object.
At this point for many groups, this will still be a magic trick to all but the two players. The players should keep this in mind, and play around with it if they can. The asker can act a little unsure of the whole thing at first, as the answerer gives them an inscrutable stare, pondering over each yes/no question asked as though their life depended on it. At some point the initial illusion will be dropped, but part of the fun is using it for the first few rounds. The asker will continue to choose items to test the answerer with until eventually they land on the secret object the group has chosen. At this point, if the process has worked and all rituals were performed correctly and genuinely, the answerer will, after a very pregnant pause, finally give their first "yes".
The game truly begins the moment the first round ends. Some will have theories as to how it worked, but they should keep any theorycrafting to themselves. The game should be played in this fashion as players have time and are interested. When someone thinks they have it figured out, the answerer spreads the magic to them, endowing them with the power of asker. Those two players play a round just as before, and if the new asker has the game figured out, it should
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If it doesn't work, the magic transfer hasn't worked correctly! After a failed attempt, players must observe a few more rounds before they can seize the magic once again.
Play continues this way until all players understand what the secret is and can play the game! Through successive rounds, players get to play detective and attempt to figure out how the game works. As each person figures it out, they get to take part in the pageantry and mystery of the game, helping the rest of the players experience the magic.
Just as with a riddle, the game loses its charm once everyone knows the answer. While this means the game isn't replayable in the short term, you can infect any group of people with the magic at any time. If you enjoy the game, be on the lookout for more people to spread the magic to. While there is no way to un-know the solution to the game, the game lives on and propagates as you continue to spread the magic to others.
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