Codenames

01Discover the game

Codenames is a word survey. Two teams look for their agents in a common grid. Only the master spies know which cards belong to whom. A single well-chosen word can link several cards, but a bad association can lead to the killer.

The normal game requires at least four people. The classic booklet also provides the two or three variants explained here. There is no mechanical ceiling to enlarge the two teams, even if each must be able to participate in the discussions.

02Equipment

The basic word game consists of 200 double-sided cards, i.e. 400 words, 40 key cards, 16 agent cards in eight reds and eight blues, a double-sided agent card, seven neutral Witness cards, an Assassin card and a key support. The 2015 booklet also provides for an optional hourglass; it is not necessary to proceed. Recent editions change certain words and presentation components, without changing the principle described here.

03The goal

Meet all the agents of your team before the other. Avoid the murderer: designate him immediately loses. Neutral words waste time; opposing agents push the other team forward.

04Install grid and teams

Form two teams of close sizes. Each one designates a master spy. The two masters sit on the same side of the table; the investigators opposite. Draw 25 Mot cards and form a grid of five rows and five columns.

Draw a Key at random and place it in its support, in a chosen orientation without examining its advantages. Only the masters see it. Its boxes correspond exactly to the grid: red and blue for the agents, beige for the witnesses, black for the murderer. Check the orientation together without showing it to the investigators.

The markers around the Key indicate the team that starts. She has nine agents and receives the double-sided agent card turned to her color; the other one has eight. Place the covers of the two teams, the witnesses and the murderer within the reach of the masters.

Enlarge ↗

05Give a clue and then investigate

The master of the active team announces a single word, then a number. The word connects words of its color; the number indicates how much it targets. "Ocean, 2" can for example connect BALEINE and VAGUE. Investigators discuss freely and then touch a card to validate their answer. The master immediately covers this card according to his true identity on the Key.

If it is an agent of their team, they can continue, without new clues. If it is a witness or an opposing agent, their turn stops; the opposing agent is actually found for the other team. If it is the murderer, they lose the game. After a good answer, they can also stop voluntarily.

The team must try at least one answer. It can do as much as possible the number announced plus one answer, as long as it is not wrong. This additional answer can take up an idea of an old index. For an index "Ocean, 2", the normal ceiling is therefore three cards.

What clues are allowed?

The index must relate to the meaning of the words, not their letters, length or position. "Upstairs, 3" to designate the first row is prohibited. Does not give a word yet visible, nor a form of the same word or a recognizable part of a compound word. A covered card no longer blocks its word.

Play in French; a foreign word running in French can be accepted by agreement of the masters. The proper names in one word are possible. Before the part, agree on the own names composed, acronyms or composite words: the booklet presents them as relaxations. You never produce an artificial word to bypass the limit.

The number is used to count the targeted words, not to convey a second idea. The master does not confirm the reasoning, does not grimace and does not designate an area of the look. He only gives his index, then the identity of the actually affected cards. An invalid index noticed finishes the round; the opposing master can cover one of his agents for free before his index.

Two leading indices

With a number 0, the master indicates that none of his words correspond to the index. Investigators can then try as many answers as they wish, with at least one mandatory. unlimited Instead of the number, they also have as many tests as they want, but don't know how many words fall under the new index. Any mistake always ends the round.

06An example to understand

Of the 25 cards, BALEINE and VAGUE are blue, REQUIN is black and PIANO is neutral. The blue master thinks of "Ocean, 2", but REQUIN notes: the index risks losing immediately. Instead, he chooses a more precise index for a single card. The best index is not always the one that promises the most answers.

Enlarge ↗

If the team finds BALEINE then hesitates, it can stop. If it touches PIANO, it loses its turn but not the whole game. REQUIN would have caused an immediate defeat.

07Win and play two or three

The first team with all the agents covered wins immediately, even if the last one was hit by the opponents. There are no total points in the competitive game. The killer immediately gives the victory to the other team.

In two, play together: a master and an investigator, against a simulated team. Choose a key that makes you start: you have nine agents. After each of your turns, the master covers an opposing agent of his choice to simulate the enemy turn. You lose if the killer is hit or if the eight opposing agents are covered. If you find your nine agents before that, count the opposing agents still not covered: the more there is left, the better is your success.

On three, you can play the same cooperation, with a master and two investigators. Another official variant: two competing masters each give their clues to a common investigator, who plays honestly for both sides. The conditions of victory remain those of the normal teams.

08Frequent errors

Don't show the Key to the investigators and don't turn it in the course of the game. Don't give small comments after the index. Don't flip the Word card to read its other side during the investigation. Don't give an extra try after an error: the turn is already over. Don't confuse this version with Codenames Duo, which has other Keys and another system.

09Start well

As a master, first examine the killer and then the opposing words close to your idea. Start with clues of one or two cards. As an investigator, remember the old clues and explain your connections to your team. If the group is thinking for a long time, the optional hourglass can help decide, with the agreement announced at the beginning.