Mastermind

About this board game

Mastermind is a two-player logic and deduction game that takes about 20 minutes to play. One player becomes the codemaker and creates a secret code, while the other takes the role of codebreaker and attempts to solve it in 10 moves or less.

Each turn, the codebreaker proposes a combination using the colored pegs. After every move, the codemaker provides clues, allowing the codebreaker to refine their guesses and narrow down the possibilities. Success depends on careful reasoning, deduction, and perhaps a little luck.

With more than 2,000 possible codes, every game presents a fresh brainteaser. The codemaker can make the challenge more devious by using multiple pegs of the same color or leaving one or more peg holes empty. These options add variety while keeping the rules easy to learn and the play fast.

• Players: 2
• Playing time: approximately 20 minutes
• Game format: four-hole code and clue-based deduction
• Included: game console with built-in storage tray and code peg shield, 108 code pegs in six colors, 30 key pegs in two colors, and instructions

First released in 1971, Mastermind has sold more than 55 million units and is recognized as one of the world’s most popular games. It is designed for ages 8 and up, making it an accessible head-to-head contest for players who enjoy testing their powers of observation and logical thinking.

Whether you are trying to crack an opponent’s carefully constructed sequence or create a code that cannot be solved quickly, Mastermind delivers a compact strategy challenge with a different puzzle every time.