Codenames

1 Overview

Codenames is a team word-association game designed by Vlaada Chvátil and published by Czech Games Edition in 2015. Two rival spy networks: Red and Blue: compete to make contact with all of their field agents before the other team does. The catch: agents are identified only by a single code word on a 5×5 grid, and the only person who knows which words belong to which team is the Spymaster.

The Spymaster must give one-word clues that link multiple agents simultaneously, while steering teammates away from the opposing team's agents, innocent bystanders: and especially the one deadly Assassin. Touch the Assassin and your team loses instantly.

Codenames won the Spiel des Jahres in 2016 and quickly became one of the best-selling party games of the decade. Its simplicity of rules combined with depth of lateral thinking makes it playable with almost any group, from casual family gatherings to intensely competitive game nights.

2 Components

• 200 double-sided word cards: each card has a different code word on each side (400 words total)
• 40 key cards: double-sided, show the secret layout of Red, Blue, Bystander, and Assassin squares
• 1 card stand: holds the key card so only Spymasters can see it
• 8 red agent cards
• 8 blue agent cards
• 1 double agent card (used as starting team marker)
• 7 innocent bystander cards
• 1 assassin card
• 1 rulebook

3 Setup

1. Divide into two teams: Red and Blue. Each team picks one player to be their Spymaster. Spymasters sit on the same side of the table.
2. Lay out the grid: randomly arrange 25 word cards face-up in a 5×5 grid. The words on the cards are the code names.
3. Place the key card: one Spymaster randomly draws a key card and places it in the card stand so both Spymasters can see it but operatives cannot. The key shows a 5×5 grid of colored squares: Red agents, Blue agents, neutral Bystanders, and the black Assassin.
4. Determine first team: the key card has a colored border (red or blue) indicating which team goes first. That team has 9 agents to find; the other team has 8. The first-player team starts with one more agent because going first is a slight advantage.
5. Cover agents: place red agent cards, blue agent cards, bystander cards, and the assassin card nearby, face-up, ready to cover words as they're guessed.

4 The Spymaster Role

The Spymaster is the only person who sees the key card. Their entire job is to give clues that guide their operatives to the right words. This is harder than it sounds: one misunderstood clue can send your team straight to the Assassin.

Giving a Clue

On your turn as Spymaster, you say exactly one word and one number:

• The word hints at the meaning or concept connecting one or more of your agents
• The number tells your operatives how many of your agents relate to that clue

Example: If your agents include OCEAN, FISH, and WAVE, you might say "Sea, 3": telling your team that three of your agents connect to the sea.

The Clue Number

The number indicates how many words you intend to link. You can say a number that's lower than the number of words you're thinking of (to play it safe), but you cannot say a number higher than the words you're connecting.

You can also say "Unlimited" or "∞" to let your team guess as many words as they want: but this gives no information about quantity and is only useful in rare edge cases.

Spymaster Poker Face

After giving your clue, stay silent and don't react. No facial expressions, no sighs, no smiles when they're on the right track. You are a stone wall. Any emotional hint is against the spirit of the rules and most competitive groups will call it out.

5 Gameplay

Teams alternate turns. On each turn:

1. The active Spymaster gives a one-word clue + number
2. The operatives discuss openly (the Spymaster must stay silent) and touch a word card
3. The Spymaster immediately covers that card with the appropriate identity card (Red, Blue, Bystander, or Assassin)
4. Operatives may continue guessing (see below) or end their turn

The turn ends when operatives decide to stop, make a wrong guess, or have used up their allowed guesses.

6 The Guessing Phase

Operatives may guess up to N+1 words per turn, where N is the number the Spymaster gave. The +1 allows one extra "catch-up" guess to solve a clue from a previous round that was never resolved.

What Happens After a Guess

• Your agent: Cover with your team's card. You may keep guessing (up to your limit).
• Opponent's agent: Cover with their card. Your turn ends immediately: and you just helped them!
• Bystander: Cover with a bystander card. Your turn ends.
• Assassin: Cover with the assassin card. Your team loses immediately.

7 Winning & Losing

Win: Be the first team to identify all of your agents. When the last of your agents is covered, your team wins instantly: even if it's the other team's turn.

Lose immediately: Touch the Assassin card on any guess. Your team is eliminated regardless of how many agents remain.

Lose by default: If you accidentally reveal an opponent's last agent, they win on your turn.

8 Legal vs. Illegal Clues

The Spymaster cannot use just any word. These clues are not allowed:

Numbers are allowed as clue words (e.g., "Eight, 2" connecting words related to the number 8). Abbreviations and proper nouns unrelated to board words are generally allowed: house rule it if there's disagreement.

9 Strategy Guide

Spymaster Strategy

Cluster before the game starts. Before your first turn, secretly scan the board and group your 8-9 agents mentally by theme. Identify 2-3 clues that each link 2+ agents. Start with your safest connection.

Avoid the Assassin at all costs. Before giving any clue, ask: "Could my operatives possibly interpret this clue as pointing at the Assassin?" If yes, don't give it. One loss to the Assassin wipes out all prior progress.

Red herring awareness. Think about the opponent's agents too. Your clue for CRANE and FEATHER might be "Bird": but if ROBIN is an opponent's agent, "Bird" becomes dangerous. Always triple-check opponent words and the Assassin before committing.

2-clues are safer than 3-clues. A "3" clue that goes wrong costs you 3 turns of potential. A "2" clue that goes perfectly moves you forward steadily. Risk the big clue when you have a rock-solid connection and your team is behind.

The 0 gambit. If you have no good clue but want to eliminate options, say "[any unrelated word], 0": this tells your team "none of my remaining agents relate to this, so guess anything that seems safe." Use sparingly; it burns a turn.

Operative Strategy

Trust your Spymaster. If you're 60% sure on one word and 40% on another, guess the 60% first. Don't overthink connections that "kinda" fit: your Spymaster was precise with that clue.

When in doubt, stop. You never have to use all your guesses. If you've found the obvious connection and the remaining words feel uncertain, stop the turn. Giving points back to your opponent is far worse than leaving a clue unsolved for now.

Discuss openly: the Spymaster benefits from your reasoning. Saying "I think CRANE connects because of construction" helps the Spymaster give better clues next round. They can hear you, even if they can't respond.

Remember the +1 rule. If a previous clue had unused guesses, you can use the +1 bonus guess to mop it up. This is most useful when you finally figure out what an earlier ambiguous clue was pointing at.

Team Composition Tips

Put your most lateral thinker as Spymaster, not your most knowledgeable person. Codenames rewards the ability to find unexpected connections, not trivia knowledge. The person who always wins at word games should be an operative; the creative lateral thinker should be Spymaster.

10 Variants

Codenames: Duet (2-Player / Cooperative)

Designed specifically for 2 players (or cooperative play). Both players are simultaneously Spymasters for their partner. The key card has 9 agents on each side: but they overlap in complex ways. There's a turn tracker; you must find all 15 agents before time runs out. Three assassins per side make careless guessing much more dangerous. Duet is widely considered one of the best 2-player card games ever made.

Codenames: Pictures

Replaces word cards with illustrated image cards. The same 5×5 grid, same rules, but clues must relate to what's depicted in the picture. Paradoxically harder in some ways: images are more ambiguous than words: and great for younger players or mixed groups where some players have language barriers.

Codenames: Deep Undercover (18+)

Adult party variant with edgier word cards for groups that want a more irreverent version. Same core rules.

Codenames: Disney, Harry Potter, etc.

Theme variants with licensed IP word/image cards. Ideal as gifts for fans of those franchises.

Two-Player Standard Rules Variant

Without Duet, two players can still play: one player controls both Spymasters (seeing both key cards, giving clues for both teams), while the other player is both teams' operative. More of a puzzle than a competition, but playable.

Speed Round Variant

Add a sand timer. Operatives must make their first guess within 30 seconds and cannot discuss. Forces instinctive play: great for experienced groups who want a faster pace.

11 Frequently Asked Questions