Does anyone intentionally play dumb when someone is flirting with them?

[HeartIsAching]

No they don't. At least, I certainly don't. Why would I want to?

Bingo. I don't like to play games. Clear communication gets you what you want.

Though to be honest I have been told by my wife and other people that since we've gotten together, I am totally oblivious to other women. Wife and I went to a charity event the other night and she told me that the three Hooters gals were checking me out... and I didn't notice. Normally I'd be flattered if three pretty young ladies half my age were giving me the once-over, but I didn't notice, which is weird for me.

[Yet another guy]

Unless the person flirting with me is someone I'm interested in, I tend to ignore flirting. I like to communicate on friendly terms without the pointless and often annoying flirting going on.

If you like to communicate on friendly terms without the flirting which you find annoying, why do you ignore it? Why don't you tell them that you're not interested so they could give up with their pointless flirting?

[Gypsybell]

Flirting was delightful in my youth. It was acceptable comraderie even among happily marrieds, in light forms. It is a social art of long standing, rarely considered truthful in any form, and 'playing dumb' is usually intended to either deflect unwanted advances (in leiu of just cutting them dead) or pretend innocence. A third option is to tease AKA 'driving the flirtee insane'. All are time honoured ruses that most employ at some time in life. I used to consider that a mature woman would never stoop to playing dumb, because she would never be in such a situation. However, when one hits 60 and single again it is sometimes essential, 'dirty old men' and even 'cougar hunters' add a whole new dimension! Don't worry OP, it is still true that 'all is fair' in the game of lovel.