It is not about the "thing" so much as it is the "word" - the password. When someone makes a guess that includes the password - even if the guess is not the same "thing" as the password (only, by itself) represents - it still becomes significant for the game play. In the midst of all of the ideas used to convey and guess the password - it is the password - a word - that the game is about. Technically, the game is actually about guessing the password - not the "thing" it may represent. And, if the password is 'cream' and someone uses it in a guess - it becomes significant for the game play - because, they did in fact guess the password.