The Secret Door

About this board game

The Secret Door is a themed memory game for 1–8 players that takes about 20 minutes to play. Players reveal cards from the board, search for matching pairs, and use the information they uncover to determine which three object cards are missing.

To set up the game, three object cards are removed from the deck. The remaining object cards are mixed with 12 clock cards, then placed on spaces on the board. This creates a changing memory challenge in which every revealed card can provide useful information—or bring the end of the game closer.

On each turn, a player reveals two cards in the hope of forming a match. When a matching pair is found, the players build their knowledge of the cards still in play. However, revealing a clock card adds it to the time row, steadily advancing the game toward its conclusion.

• Three object cards are secretly removed before play.
• The remaining cards are mixed with 12 clock cards.
• Players reveal two cards at a time, looking for matches.
• The game ends when the 12th clock card is revealed.

When the final clock card is turned over, the memory test reaches its final stage. Players try to identify the three object cards removed at the beginning, relying on the cards they have seen and the pairs they have collected. In The Secret Door, careful attention and recall are central from the first reveal to the last deduction.

Released in 1991, the game combines familiar memory gameplay with a simple hidden-information puzzle and a clear time limit.