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Codenames
A word-association party game where you listen to your spymaster's one-word clue and race to find your team's agent words among the 25 word cards laid out in a 5x5 grid. It won the Spiel des Jahres in 2016 and is the benchmark party game proven around the world.
Rules
One-word, one-number clues connect a hidden 5×5 key to the word grid as two teams race to find their agents without touching the assassin.
The whole game at a glance
Two teams alternate turns. Each spymaster sees the secret identities of all 25 words and gives a one-word, one-number clue. Operatives keep finding their agents, but bystanders, opposing agents, and the assassin carry consequences.
Components
| Component | Count | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Word cards | 200, with 400 codenames | Use one side to build the 5×5 grid |
| Agent tiles | 8 red and 8 blue | Cover found team words |
| Double agent tile | 1 | The starting team's ninth agent |
| Innocent bystander tiles | 7 | End the guessing team's turn |
| Assassin tile | 1 | Makes the guessing team lose immediately |
| Key cards | 40 | Show all 25 identities and the starting team |
| Card stand | 1 | Hides the key between spymasters |
2025 revised edition
The revision updates the word list, art, insert, and rulebook. This guide follows CGE's current 2025 rulebook and component list rather than the older box that included a physical timer.
Setup
- 1Split into two teams of roughly equal size and skill. A standard game needs at least two players per team.
- 2Each team chooses one spymaster; everyone else is an operative. Spymasters sit together opposite their own operatives.
- 3Choose 25 random word cards and lay them in a 5×5 grid. Occasionally flip part of the deck while mixing so both sides are used.
- 4The spymasters draw one random key and put it in the stand in any orientation, hidden from all operatives.
- 5The colored triangles around the key mark the starting team. That team has one extra word, so it takes the double agent on its color side.
Check the key orientation
Both spymasters should confirm that the key's 5×5 orientation matches the table. Never expose its face to the operatives.
The spymaster's clue — one word and one number
The clue word must relate to the meaning of one or more target words. The number tells the operatives how many target words the spymaster linked. For example, tree: 2 might connect ROOT and BARK.
Keep a straight face
Do not react while operatives discuss unexpected words. Place a tile only after they touch a card, and act as though any unintended friendly hit was part of the plan.
Operative guesses and the plus-one rule
- 1Operatives discuss the clue, then one touches a word card. They must make at least one guess.
- 2A friendly agent allows another guess from the same clue, or the team may stop voluntarily.
- 3While guesses remain correct, the team may guess one more than the clue number. This can recover a word missed on an earlier turn.
- 4A bystander or opposing agent ends the turn immediately. An opposing hit also helps that team.
- 5The assassin makes the guessing team lose immediately.
Valid clues
- A visible codename and any form of that word are unavailable as clues until the card is covered.
- You also cannot use part of a visible compound word. While HORSESHOE is visible, horse and shoe are unavailable.
- Melodies and accents cannot add information. Soundalikes are valid only when their meanings make the connection under traditional rules.
- Letters and numbers may be clues when they refer to meaning, such as eight for BALL and OCTOPUS.
- Play in the language of your edition. A foreign word is valid only when the group would naturally use it in a sentence in that language.
Do not be too strict
If the opposing spymaster accepts a borderline clue, it is valid. Agree before play whether to allow common abbreviations, multiword names, titles, or broader soundalike clues.
Winning and losing
- Your team wins as soon as all its agent words are covered.
- Your team also wins if the opponents accidentally cover your last agent.
- Your team wins if the opponents touch the assassin.
The final agent ends the game immediately
Your team can win during the other team's turn. The game ends when your last agent is covered, even though the opposing-agent guess would otherwise end their turn.
Expert rules and invalid clues
- A clue such as tiny: unlimited allows guesses without a numeric limit while they remain correct.
- feathers: 0 means do not guess words related to feathers. Ignore plus one and allow unlimited guesses.
- An invalid clue ends the team's turn immediately with no guesses. Before the next clue, the opposing spymaster may cover one of their own words.
- If the opposing spymaster decides the mistake caused no harm, or nobody notices until later, the clue remains valid.
Edition and awards
Designed by Vlaada Chvátil and first published by CGE in 2015, Codenames won the 2016 Spiel des Jahres. The 2025 edition keeps the core rules while revising the word list, artwork, insert, and presentation.
Separate games
Codenames: Duet is cooperative and Codenames: Pictures uses images. Their rules should not be inferred from this competitive word-game guide.
Frequently confused rules
Q. Must we make as many guesses as the clue number?
No. You must guess at least once, but after that you may stop voluntarily before making a wrong guess.
Q. Why can we guess one more than the number?
The plus-one rule lets you recover words missed from earlier clues. It does not have to be another word from the current clue.
Q. Do we keep guessing after touching an opposing word?
No. Cover it with the opposing team's agent tile and end your turn immediately.
Q. May the spymaster explain the clue?
No. Give only one word and one number, without expression, delivery, or extra explanation that conveys information.
Q. Is the assassin dangerous only near the end?
No. Touching the assassin at any time makes that team lose immediately.
Sources
CGE and DiceTree Games official Korean rulebook (8 pages, 2025 revision)CGE official English rulebook (8 pages, 2025 revision)CGE official product pageBoardGameGeek — players, time, weight, and awards cross-referenceWiki cross-reference — Wikipedia: CodenamesWiki cross-reference — NamuWiki: CodenamesSpiel des Jahres official 2016 winner pageRule summaries are reference content written by us, not quotations from the official rulebook. Always check the official rulebook for exact rules. Diagrams are original schematics, not rulebook illustrations.
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Last updated 2026-09-15
💡 Master tip
Even with a low number, giving a clue you are sure of is better for managing risk; a vague association tends to backfire. Spymasters should be especially careful with clues that could be confused with the assassin word.
Ready for something heavier
If this one has gotten too easy, try these — same feel, one step up in weight.
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