Zip and bong is a car

Car game

Car games are games played to pass the time on long car journeys, often started by parents to amuse restless children. They generally require little or no equipment or playing space. Some such games are designed specifically to be played while traveling Car games are games played to pass the time...

 or party

Party game

Party games are games that some people play as forms of entertainment at social gatherings. Party games usually involve more than one player. There are a large number and styles of party games available and the one selected will depend on the atmosphere that is sought to be generated...

 group-dynamic game

Group-dynamic game

Group-dynamic games are experiential education exercises which help people to learn about themselves, interpersonal relationships, and how groups function from a group dynamics or social psychological point of view....

 which requires little skill and no accessories. Surfacing around the turn of the 21st century, it is widespread throughout the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, with documented practice on the East

East Coast of the United States

The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...

 and West Coasts

West Coast of the United States

West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...

 and in the Midwest

Midwestern United States

The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....

 and South

Southern United States

The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...

, largely in college and youth communities.

Rules and play

Playable by three (and to some extent two) or more players, the game involves the participants (if numerous, then seated in a circle) "passing" the word zip to the person on their right with their lips curled in over their teeth. The person to one's right must do the same, and so on. If any participant wishes to change the flow of the passage, he or she must say the word bong instead of zip, reverting the game's direction.

The word bong performs one of two functions, depending on how the game is played. The first (and probably more common) function simply uses bong to switch the game's direction. The second has zip stand for a clockwise

Clockwise

Circular motion can occur in two possible directions. A clockwise motion is one that proceeds in the same direction as a clock's hands: from the top to the right, then down and then to the left, and back to the top...

 flow and bong stand for a counter-clockwise flow, thus giving both the words zip and bong the power to revert the flow. In either case, use of the words can result in an effective restricting of the game between two players until one chooses not to revert the flow.

The object of the zip and bong is to stay in play. This is accomplished by never showing one's teeth and by not missing one's turn (which is potentially difficult in small groups who make use of the word reversion).

The game can be difficult because the absurdity of its play easily causes laughter, which can lead to exposure of the teeth.