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Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes: Missions, strikes and Free Play

How a bomb is lost, the reading of the casing, the mission binder in order, and what Free Play lets you change.

  • 4 parts · 14 steps

Compiled from 2 playthrough videos and 11 guides · checked Oct 19, 2026

0 of 4 done
Video: Screen Lookers on YouTube. Loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play.

What each player can do here

P1 · Defuser
  • The only seat that sees the bomb. Turns it, reads out what is on each module and does the cutting, pressing and holding.
P2 · Expert
  • Holds the Bomb Defusal Manual and never sees the bomb; works out from the manual what the Defuser has to do and tells them.

If your skill levels differ: Missions get harder as new modules come in, and Free Play can leave out up to three modules.Our suggestionFor a new Expert: stay in the early sections until the call-outs feel routine. How to split the roles

How a bomb is lost

Part 1 of 4. The clock and the strike counter.

  1. BothA bomb goes off when its timer hits 0:00 or when it collects too many strikes. To defuse it, finish every regular module, in any order you like.
  2. DefuserOn a bomb with a strike counter above the timer, the third strike sets it off, and after each strike the timer runs faster.
  3. DefuserA module is done when the light in its top-right corner turns green.single source

Good to know

  • A bomb with no strike counter goes off at the first mistake.
  • The wiki's Strikes and Timer pages give different figures for how much faster the timer runs, so no exact speed is given here.
  • Our suggestionThe Defuser calls out every strike, because the strike count also changes the answers on Simon Says.

Read the casing first

Part 2 of 4. Serial number, batteries, indicators and ports.

  1. DefuserSeveral modules depend on what is on the outside of the case: the serial number, the batteries, the labelled indicator lights (lit or not) and the ports. The Defuser turns the bomb to read them.

Good to know

  • A battery holder holds either one D battery or two AA batteries, so the Defuser can call out batteries and holders and let the Expert work out the types.

The mission binder

Part 3 of 4. Sections in the order the game opens them.

  1. BothEverything starts with the mission The First Bomb.
  2. BothThe First Bomb has three modules (Wires, The Button, Keypads), five minutes and three strikes.single source
  3. BothAfter it come six sections: The Basics, Moderate, Needy, Challenging, Extreme and Exotic.
  4. BothDefusing half the bombs in a section opens the next one.single source
  5. BothModerate introduces Passwords, Morse Code, Wire Sequences and Complicated Wires; Needy brings the three needy modules, and its bombs allow only one strike.single source
  6. BothChallenging uses every module in the manual; Extreme bombs allow a single strike; Exotic bombs pile up one or two module types, such as five Simon Says in 90 seconds.single source

Free Play

Part 4 of 4. Custom bombs once the first mission is done.

  1. BothFree Play builds a custom bomb: pick the time and the number of modules, and turn needy modules and Hardcore on or off.
  2. BothFree Play opens once The First Bomb is defused.single source
  3. BothUp to three modules can be left out of Free Play under Options, Accessibility. Missions are not affected.single source
  4. BothHardcore means one strike and the bomb explodes.single source
Sources (13)

Steps compiled from 2 playthrough videos and 11 text guides, checked Oct 19, 2026, and written in our own words. We did not play the game for this guide. A step marked “single source” rests on one guide so far.