Codenames

2015

In Codenames, rival spymasters guide their teams to uncover secret agents using single-word clues. A thrilling game of strategy, deduction, and avoiding the deadly assassin!

15
minutes

2 - 8
player(s)

14+

Medium Light

About the game

Codenames is a thrilling, spy-themed board game that tests your creativity, deduction, and teamwork. The game transports you into a world of covert operations where your ability to communicate in riddles and codes can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

In Codenames, two teams compete to see who can make contact with all of their agents first. The agents are cleverly disguised as ordinary words, displayed on cards laid out on the table. The spymasters, or clue-givers, know the secret identities of these agents and must guide their team members toward the correct words using cryptic one-word clues and a number.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Codenames is a popular board game that requires strategy, teamwork, and a good vocabulary. It is played with a number of components, each with a specific role in the gameplay.

1. Agent Cards: These are the main playing cards in the game. They feature a single word that players use to give clues to their teammates. The Agent cards are laid out in a 5×5 grid on the table.

2. Double Agent Card: This card can be used as an agent for either team, depending on the current circumstances of the game. The Double Agent card adds an extra layer of strategy to the game.

3. Key Card: This card is only visible to the Spymasters. It shows the secret identities of the agents on the board. Depending on the orientation of this card, it can change the identities of the agents.

4. Spymaster Cards: These cards are given to each team’s Spymaster. The Spymaster uses these cards to give clues to their teammates about the identities of their agents. These are the only players in the game who can see the Key Card.

5. Identity Cards: These cards are used to reveal the identities of the agents on the board. They come in three types: blue, red, and innocent bystander. They are used by the Spymasters to cover the Agent Cards as the identities are guessed.

6. Bystander Cards: These cards represent innocent bystanders. If a team incorrectly guesses the identity of an agent, a Bystander card is used to cover the Agent Card.

7. Timer: The game includes a sand timer that can be used to limit the time for each team’s turn. This adds a sense of urgency and excitement to the game, but it is optional and can be left out if players prefer a more relaxed pace.

Each of these components interacts with the others to create a challenging and engaging game. The Spymasters use the Key Card and their own Spymaster Cards to give clues to their teammates. The Agent Cards and Identity Cards are used to track the progress of the game, and the Double Agent and Bystander cards add unexpected twists. The Timer can be used to increase the stakes and keep the game moving at a brisk pace.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Codenames is a fun and challenging game that involves critical thinking and team collaboration. This guide will walk you through the steps of setting up a game of Codenames, including player roles, board placement, initial resources, and any random elements.

Step 1: Divide into Teams

First, players need to divide themselves into two teams. Each team should choose a spymaster. The spymaster is the player who will be providing the clues to their teammates. The rest of the players on the team are field operatives.

Step 2: Prepare the Game Board

Place 25 codename cards in a 5×5 grid on the table. The cards should be randomized and placed word-side up. These represent the codenames of the agents that field operatives need to contact.

Step 3: Assign the Key Card

The key card is selected randomly from a deck of key cards. Only the spymasters can look at this card. The key card indicates the secret identities of the agents on the board: which agents are for the red team, which agents are for the blue team, which agents are innocent bystanders, and which one is the assassin.

Step 4: Place the Agent Cards

Based on the key card, the spymasters place the agent cards and innocent bystander cards on the corresponding codename cards. Remember, only the spymasters should know the identities of the agents.

Step 5: Decide Who Goes First

The team whose color is on the edge of the key card goes first. This team also has one more agent to contact (9 instead of 8).

Step 6: Start the Game

The game begins with the first team’s spymaster giving a one-word clue and a number, which indicates how many codenames on the board are related to the clue. The field operatives then guess the codenames. The game continues until all agents of one team are identified or the assassin is contacted.

Remember, Codenames is not only about finding the right agents but also about understanding your teammates’ way of thinking. Good luck and have fun!

Game flow Round and round we go

Codenames is a game of deduction, communication, and espionage that requires strategic thinking. Here, we will detail how a typical game of Codenames is structured including the phases of play and the actions players undertake at each stage.

The game begins with setup. During this phase:

25 random word cards are laid out in a 5×5 grid on the table.
Players split into two teams: red and blue. Each team selects a spymaster who will be giving the clues. The spymasters sit on one side of the table, and the rest of the players (field operatives) sit on the other.
The spymasters randomly draw one key card that shows the secret identities of the 25 agents (the words on the table).

Once the setup is complete, play proceeds in turns with each team having a turn. During the team’s turn:

Clue Giving: The spymaster gives a one-word clue and a number that relates to the words on the table. The clue should relate to the meaning of the words, and the number indicates how many words the clue relates to.
Guessing: The field operatives discuss and try to figure out what words their spymaster meant. They indicate their official guess when they touch a word card on the table.
Revealing: The spymaster reveals the identity of the guessed word. If the guess was correct (matched the team’s color on the key card), the field operatives may continue guessing, up to the number indicated by the spymaster plus one. If the guess was incorrect, the turn ends immediately.

The game continues in this pattern until one team has revealed all their words, at which point that team immediately wins. If at any point a team reveals the assassin (a black word on the key card), that team immediately loses.

Remember, the key to success in Codenames is not only to find the right words, but also to think strategically and work together as a team.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Codenames is a team-based word game where players work to identify their team’s codenames from a grid of words, guided by a single-word clue from their team’s spymaster. Each turn in Codenames consists of several key steps, with players having to make strategic choices based on the current state of the game board.

Step 1: Giving the Clue
The turn begins with the team’s spymaster providing a one-word clue and a number. The clue should relate to the words on the board that are assigned to their team, while the number indicates how many words on the board relate to that clue.

Strategic Choice: Clue Selection
The spymaster must carefully choose a clue that can link multiple words without leading their team to guess a word belonging to the opposing team, or worse, the assassin word. The clue should also be obscure enough to not be easily guessed by the opposing team.

Step 2: Guessing the Words
After the clue is given, the rest of the team discusses and makes guesses regarding which words on the board match the clue. The number of guesses they can make is the number given by the spymaster plus one. The team’s turn ends if they guess wrong, so they need to be strategic with their choices.

Strategic Choice: Guessing Order
The order in which the team guesses the words can be significant. It’s usually safer to start with words that the team is confident match the clue, as an incorrect guess ends the turn immediately.
Strategic Choice: Number of Guesses
The team does not have to use all their guesses. If they are unsure, they can opt to guess fewer words to avoid potentially selecting an opponent’s word or the assassin.

Step 3: Revealing the Identity
After each guess, the spymaster reveals the identity of the guessed word. It can belong to the team guessing, the opposing team, be a neutral word, or the assassin word. If the team reveals a word of their own color, they can continue guessing. Revealing an opponent or neutral word ends their turn. Revealing the assassin ends the game entirely.

Step 4: End of Turn
If the team has used all their guesses or guesses incorrectly, the turn passes to the other team’s spymaster, and the process repeats. The end goal is to reveal all the words of your own team color before the opposing team reveals theirs.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Codenames’ ends when one of the following three conditions is met:

One Team Finds All Their Words: If a team successfully guesses all of their codenames (the number of codenames depends on the number of players), that team immediately wins the game. There is no need for final scoring as the victory is outright.
The Assassin is Uncovered: If a player guesses the codename that corresponds to the ‘Assassin’ card, their team immediately loses the game, and the other team is declared the winner. This is irrespective of the current score and no further actions are required.
All Codenames have been Guessed: In the rare case that all codenames on the grid have been guessed, the game ends and the team with the most codenames guessed correctly is the winner. If there is a tie, the team that made the last correct guess wins.

Before final scoring and declaring the winner, players must ensure that all guesses have been confirmed and all corresponding cards have been revealed. Any disputes should be settled by consensus or by referencing the rule book. Once the game ends, players can choose to start a new game with a fresh set of codenames.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Codenames is a team-based word association game where points are earned by correctly guessing the code words associated with your team’s color. The scoring system is simple, but the game can end in multiple ways.

Each team takes turns trying to guess their code words based on a one-word clue given by their team’s spymaster. A team earns a point when they correctly guess a codename that matches their team’s color.

If a team guesses a codename that belongs to the other team, their turn ends immediately and the other team gets a point.
If a team guesses a neutral codename, their turn also ends but no points are awarded to either team.
If a team guesses the assassin’s codename, the game ends immediately and the other team wins, regardless of the current score.

At the end of each turn, the spymaster covers the guessed codename with an agent card of the appropriate color, allowing everyone to keep track of the score.

The game ends in one of three ways:

One team correctly guesses all their codenames. That team wins the game and no further points are awarded.
The assassin’s codename is guessed. As stated earlier, the team that did not guess the assassin’s codename wins the game, regardless of the current score.
All the codenames have been guessed. In this case, the team with the most points wins. If there is a tie, the team that took the last turn is the winner.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Codenames is a game of guessing which ‘codenames’ (cards) in a set are related to a hint given by another player. While the game rules are simple, there are some special rules, exceptions, and rule clarifications that are important to note:

1. Spymasters’ clues:

The spymaster can give a clue about multiple words, but the clue must be about the meaning of the words. It can’t be about the letters in the word or its position on the table.
The clue can’t be a part of a compound word on the table. For example, if “air” and “port” are on the table, the spymaster can’t give “airport” as a clue.
The spymaster can’t use any form of a visible word as a clue. For example, if “run” is on the table, the spymaster can’t use “runs” as a clue.

2. No Gestures or Actions:

The spymaster must not make any gestures or actions that may give away the identity of the codenames on the table.
Spymasters are not allowed to “accidentally” look, gesture, or react in any way to give away the codenames.

3. Guessing:

When a team is guessing, they can touch the cards. However, once a card is touched, it is considered a final guess.
Players can keep guessing until they reach the number given by the spymaster, but they can stop before they reach that number if they want.
If a player touches a card belonging to the other team, their turn ends immediately.

4. Unlimited Guesses:

If the spymaster says the number ‘unlimited’ as part of their clue, the field operatives can guess as many codenames as they like. They still have to follow the rule that they can only guess one more than the number given by the spymaster.

5. The Assassin:

If a player guesses the assassin, the game ends immediately and that team loses.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

As a spymaster, aim to connect as many words as possible in one clue. The more words your team can guess in one go, the faster you will win.
Think of the game from your opponent’s perspective. If there’s a word that could potentially fit with the clue you’re about to give, but it’s the opponent’s word, you might need to think of a different clue.
Remember that your teammates don’t know what you’re thinking. Be sure to give clues that are common knowledge or that you’re sure your team will know.

Beginner Tips:

Start by giving clues for one word at a time until you get the hang of it. As you get more comfortable, you can start giving clues for multiple words.
Communicate with your team. If you’re a field operative, don’t be afraid to discuss your thoughts with your teammates before making a guess.
Don’t forget that the game is supposed to be fun. Don’t take it too seriously and enjoy the process of trying to figure out the clues.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Avoid giving clues that are too obscure. Your team can’t guess the words if they don’t understand the clue.
Don’t forget to consider the assassin word. If your clue accidentally leads your team to the assassin word, you immediately lose the game.
Don’t forget that you’re not allowed to say part of the word in your clue. For example, if the word is “fireman,” you can’t say “fire” in your clue.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Before the game starts, take a moment to study the grid and think about potential clues for each word.
As a spymaster, try to connect words that are related in a less obvious way. This makes it harder for the opposing team to guess your clues.
As a field operative, don’t rush to make a guess. Take your time to consider all possibilities and discuss with your team.