How to play Codenames

How to play

Setup: Split into two teams, red and blue, of roughly equal size and at least two players each. Each team picks a spymaster; everyone else is an operative. Both spymasters sit on the same side of the table, facing their operatives. Lay out 25 random word cards in a 5 × 5 grid. The spymasters draw a random key card and slide it into the stand between them, either side up; only they may look at it. Each spymaster takes their team's 8 agent tiles, and the 7 bystander tiles and the assassin go between them.

Who goes first: The four triangles on the edge of the key card show which team starts. That team has one extra word to find, so it flips the double agent tile to its colour and adds it to its tiles. The key shows each team's words, the 7 innocent bystanders and the 1 assassin.

Giving a clue: On your team's turn, your spymaster says one word and one number, such as "tree: 2". The word relates to some of your team's words, and the number says how many. Say nothing else, and keep a straight face while your operatives talk it over.

Guessing: The operatives discuss, then touch one word, and the spymaster covers it with the tile the key shows. If it's your team's word, you may guess again, up to one more than the clue's number, which lets you pick up a word you missed on an earlier turn. You must make at least one guess, and you can stop whenever you like.

Wrong guesses: Touching an innocent bystander ends your turn. Touching the other team's word ends your turn and covers one of their words for them. Touching the assassin loses the game at once.

Valid clues: A clue must be about meaning, not about letters, spelling or where a word sits in the grid. You can't say any form of a word that's still uncovered, or part of a compound word on the table. One-word names are always fine, and spymasters can quietly check borderline clues with each other. An invalid clue ends the turn with no guesses, and the other spymaster may cover one of their own words.

Winning: Your team wins as soon as all its words are covered, even if the other team uncovered your last one. You also win if the other team touches the assassin.

Strategy

Spymaster: look for clusters: Before each clue, scan all of your uncovered words for things they share. A clue that links two or three words moves you ahead quickly, but only if every link is one your teammates will actually see. A safe clue for one word is a perfectly good turn when the grid is awkward. Check the danger words: Before you speak, test your clue against the assassin first, then the other team's words, then the bystanders. If a reasonable person could link it to the assassin, drop it, even at the cost of a word. Touching the other team's word is the next worst outcome, since it helps them and ends your turn. Think like your team: The best clue is the one your particular operatives will read the way you meant. Shared jokes, films and hobbies are fair game, as long as the clue is about meaning. Operatives: order your guesses: Start with the word you're most sure of. If the last word for a clue feels like a coin toss, it's usually right to stop and keep what you've gained. Use the extra guess to collect a word you missed on an earlier turn, not for a wild leap. Remember earlier clues: Your spymaster can't remind you, so keep track of clues that still have words left. The other team's clues are useful too: they tell you which words probably belong to them. Expert clues: The rulebook's expert rules let a spymaster give an unlimited clue, allowing as many guesses as the team keeps getting right, or a zero clue, which warns you away from words linked to it and also allows unlimited guesses. They're handy for catching up on old clues or dodging a nasty word. Play the score: When you're well behind, a bolder clue for three or four words may be your only chance. When you're ahead, tight clues that avoid mistakes are usually enough, because every wrong guess hands the other team time.

Tips

- Spymasters: check every clue against the assassin before anything else. - A clue for just one word is legal, and often right when the grid is awkward. - Operatives: guess your surest word first, and stop when the next one feels like a gamble. - You may guess one more word than the clue's number; use it for a word missed on an earlier turn. - Your spymaster can't remind you of old clues, so keep track of them yourselves. - Spymasters: keep a straight face and don't reach for a tile until a word is touched. - A clue must be about meaning, never about letters or positions in the grid. - If the other team touches your last word, you still win.

Player count & time

4–8+ players, about 15 minutes a game. The current rules need at least two players per team, a spymaster and at least one operative; larger groups simply make bigger teams. With two or three players, try the cooperative Codenames: Duet, or the Codenames app, which includes solo play. Because games are short, groups usually play several in a row and take turns being spymaster.

Variants

Codenames: Pictures uses illustrations instead of words. Codenames: Duet is a cooperative version for two or more players. Codenames: XXL is the same game with bigger cards, and there are themed editions such as Back to Hogwarts. In 2026 Czech Games Edition started a line of small expansion packs: Sci-Fi and Fairy Tales each add 50 themed words for Codenames or Duet, and Cute Critters adds pictures for Codenames: Pictures. The rulebook itself adds expert rules for unlimited and zero clues.

Great for

Mixed groups and people who don't usually play board games. The rules take a couple of minutes to explain, rounds are quick, and with 400 words the grid is different every game. It works well at parties because teams can be any size and people can drift in and out between games.

Common spymaster mistake

Giving a clue for three words when one of the three is a stretch, then watching your team confidently touch the wrong card. When in doubt, drop the stretch word and give a tighter clue. And never add hints like "this one's a bit of a stretch": a spymaster says one word and one number, nothing more.