Clue

About this board game

Clue is a classic deduction game for 2–6 players, with a playing time of approximately 45 minutes. Players investigate a mansion mystery to determine who did it, with what, and where.

At the start of the game, one character card, one weapon card, and one location card are secretly placed in the confidential file at the center of the board. The remaining cards are dealt to the players, giving everyone information that must be carefully tracked.

Players move from room to room and make suggestions by naming a character, a weapon, and the room where they believe the crime occurred. The player to the left must show one of the named cards if they have one, allowing players to gather clues and narrow down the possibilities.

• Move through the mansion’s rooms.
• Make suggestions involving a character, weapon, and location.
• Use revealed cards and deductive reasoning to identify the confidential file.
• Make an accusation when you believe you know the complete solution.

The aim is to uncover which cards are held by the other players and which three cards remain hidden in the file. Once a player can determine the character, weapon, and location in the file, they can make an accusation.

A correct accusation wins the game. An incorrect accusation means the player returns the cards to the file without revealing them and may no longer make suggestions or accusations, making each final claim an important decision. Clue was released in 1949; early versions are labeled for 2–6 players, while recent and current issues state 3–6 players.