Codenames

1 Game Overview

Codenames is a team word game for 4 or more players (it works up to 8+). Split into two teams: Red and Blue. Each team has a Spymaster — everyone else is a field operative.

25 word cards are laid out in a 5×5 grid. Some are Red agents, some are Blue, some are innocent bystanders, and one is the deadly Assassin. Only the Spymasters know which is which (they share a secret key card).

Spymasters take turns giving one-word clues to help their team find their agents. The first team to identify all their agents wins. Touch the Assassin and your team loses instantly.

It's one of the most brilliant party games ever made — a perfect 15-minute filler that generates enormous moments and heated arguments.

2 What's in the Box

• 200 double-sided word cards (400 words total)
• 40 key cards (the secret identity grid)
• 1 card stand (holds the key card upright for spymasters)
• 1 double-sided timer
• 8 red agent cards
• 8 blue agent cards
• 1 double agent card
• 7 innocent bystander cards
• 1 assassin card

3 Setup

1. Divide players into two teams — Red and Blue — as evenly as possible. Each team picks a Spymaster. Spymasters sit side by side, facing their team.
2. Randomly place 25 word cards face-up in a 5×5 grid on the table.
3. One Spymaster randomly picks a key card and places it in the stand so only the Spymasters can see the front. The key card shows which words belong to which team (and which is the assassin).
4. The team whose color appears on more squares of the key card goes first (they have 9 agents; the other has 8). The first-team indicator light on the key card shows a bright square in that team's corner.
5. Set out the identity cards (agent/bystander/assassin cards) within reach to cover revealed words.

4 The Spymaster's Role

The Spymaster is the only one who sees the key card. They know which words are their team's agents, which are the enemy's, which are bystanders, and where the assassin is.

The Spymaster cannot talk, point, gesture, or react to guesses (no poker face, no wincing). Their only communication is giving clues.

When it's not their turn, Spymasters must sit quietly and watch.

5 Giving Clues

A clue consists of exactly two things: one word and one number.

• The word is a clue that relates to one or more of your agents on the grid.
• The number tells your team how many words on the grid your clue relates to.

Example: "ANIMAL 3" means three of your agents relate to the concept of "animal."

Clue Rules — What You Cannot Say

• The clue cannot be one of the 25 words currently on the grid.
• The clue cannot be a word on the grid spelled differently (no "BANKER" if "BANK" is on the grid).
• The clue must be a single word — no hyphenated words unless it's a proper name or well-known compound.
• The clue cannot relate to the sound, spelling, or visual appearance of words — only to meaning.
• Proper nouns are allowed.
• You can give "0" as your number to indicate "none of our agents relate to this word — avoid it."
• You can give "∞" (unlimited) to mean "as many as you want" — risky!

6 Guessing

After the Spymaster gives their clue, the team discusses and picks a word. They tap or point to a word on the grid. The Spymaster immediately covers it with the appropriate identity card:

• ✅ Your agent: Cover with your team's agent card. You can keep guessing!
• ⬜ Bystander: Cover with a bystander card. Your turn ends.
• ❌ Enemy agent: Cover with the other team's agent card (which helps them!). Your turn ends.
• 💀 Assassin: Cover with the assassin card. Your team loses immediately.

Guess Limits

You must guess at least once. You can guess up to the clue number + 1 (the +1 lets you "catch up" on a previous clue). You can stop guessing at any time.

Example: Clue is "ANIMAL 3" — you can guess 1, 2, 3, or 4 times (not 5). You must guess at least once.

7 The Key Card

The key card shows a 5×5 grid of colored squares:

• 🔴 Red squares = Red team's agents
• 🔵 Blue squares = Blue team's agents
• ⬜ Light squares = Innocent bystanders
• ⬛ Dark square = The Assassin

One corner of the key card has a colored outline — this marks which team goes first (and has 9 agents).

The Spymasters must keep the key card hidden from their teams throughout the game. Use the card stand.

8 Winning & Losing

Win: Find All Your Agents

The first team to identify all their agents wins. It doesn't matter whose turn it is — if you accidentally reveal the last enemy agent (by guessing wrong), the enemy team wins.

Instant Loss: The Assassin

If any team touches the word covering the Assassin, that team loses immediately. Game over. It doesn't matter how close you were.

9 Strategy Tips

• For Spymasters: identify danger first. Before crafting clues, mark the assassin and enemy agents mentally — then build clues around your agents that don't touch those words.
• Big clues are high risk, high reward. "ANIMAL 3" that your team nails is amazing. But if one of those animals is also near the assassin, disaster follows.
• For field operatives: trust your Spymaster. If the Spymaster says 3 and you've found 3 good matches, don't push for the bonus guess unless you're very confident.
• Use your number. "0" and "∞" are valid strategic tools. "0" warns your team off a dangerous word. "∞" means "this clue relates to everything you haven't found yet."
• Don't overthink. The best clues are often simple. If "OCEAN" connects two of your agents clearly, use it — don't get clever chasing a 4-word connection that's a stretch.
• Watch what your opponents are guessing. It tells you what word their Spymaster is hinting at — and might confirm words you were uncertain about.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions