Ultimate Mastermind

About this board game

Ultimate Mastermind is a two-player code-breaking game with an approximate play time of 10 minutes, released in 1972. It develops the original Mastermind format with a five-peg code and twelve chances to solve it.

One player becomes the code-maker, arranging any five pegs in the compartment directly in front of them. The code remains hidden from the other player, who takes the role of the code-breaker and attempts to discover it through a series of guesses.

For each attempt, the code-breaker fills a row of five pegs. After every guess, the code-maker provides feedback indicating whether there is a correct color in the correct position, a correct color in the incorrect position, or no matching result. The code-breaker uses this information to refine the next guess and work toward the hidden arrangement.

• A five-peg hidden code
• Up to twelve chances to break the code
• Feedback for correct color and position, correct color in the wrong position, or no match
• Alternating code-maker and code-breaker roles

Ultimate Mastermind is an advanced version of the original game, adding one extra hole and two extra chances to break the code compared with the original four-hole format. This creates a longer deduction challenge while preserving the focused guessing and feedback system.

Players alternate between making and breaking codes for as many rounds as they choose. If the code-breaker cracks the code in six tries, the code-maker receives six points. After the predetermined number of rounds, the player with the lowest point total wins.