Codenames board game: rules and clue tips
How to play Codenames: two spymasters give one-word clues to help their teams find secret agents on a grid of words and avoid the assassin. Rules and tips.
- Type
- Party game
- Players
- 2–8
- Age
- Ages 14+
- Play time
- 15 min
- First released
- 2015
- Designed by
- Vlaada Chvátil
- Publisher
- Czech Games Edition
Codenames is a team word game for parties and family evenings. Twenty-five word cards are placed in a five-by-five grid. Two teams, red and blue, each have a spymaster who secretly knows which words belong to their team, which are neutral bystanders and which single word is the assassin. Spymasters take turns giving a clue made of one word and one number, and their teammates try to touch the right words. The first team to find all its agents wins, but touching the assassin loses the game at once. Designed by Vlaada Chvátil and published in 2015, Codenames became one of the most popular party games of its decade.
Our verdict
Codenames creates great conversations. When a team debates a clue, you hear how differently each person thinks, and a clever clue that links three words feels wonderful for everyone. Rounds take about fifteen minutes, the rules can be taught in two minutes and the word cards make each game different. It works for teams of very different sizes, and the spymaster role suits people who enjoy careful thought, while guessing suits people who enjoy talking.
What works
- Very fast to teach
- Encourages lively team discussion
- High replay value from many word cards
What does not
- Heavily language-dependent
- Spymasters can take a long time to think
How to play Codenames
Divide the players into two teams and choose one spymaster per team. The spymasters sit on the same side and look at a key card showing the colour of each grid position. The starting team has nine agents, the other eight. On a team's turn, its spymaster says one word and one number, such as "ocean, two", meaning two words on the grid relate to ocean. The spymaster may not give any other hints with gestures or expressions. The team discusses and touches one word. If it is their colour, the spymaster covers it with their agent card and the team may guess again, up to the number given plus one. If it is a neutral word, the turn ends. If it belongs to the other team, that team gains it and the turn ends. If it is the assassin, the guessing team loses immediately. The first team to cover all its words wins.
Tips for new players
- As spymaster, first check that your clue does not also point to the assassin.
- A safe clue for two words is often better than a risky clue for four.
- As a guesser, remember earlier clues; unused numbers can guide later guesses.
- Watch the opposing team's discussion; their reasoning can reveal which words to avoid.
Good for
Codenames: common questions
How many people can play Codenames?
The box lists two to eight players, and it works with more in two teams. It is at its best with four or more.
Can the spymaster say any word as a clue?
The clue must be one word related to meaning, not to the spelling or position of words, and it cannot be a word visible on the grid.
What happens if a team touches the assassin?
That team loses the game immediately.
Codenames belongs to its owners. Playdonya is not connected to them and does not sell this game; the cover is our own illustration.
