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Thematic illustration for Codenames
PartyDeductionTeam

Codenames

Give one-word clues to help your team find its agents while avoiding the assassin.

Players4–8 best with 6
Play time15–30 min
Complexity2/5 · Easy
Learn & set up5 min

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At the table

Two teams search a shared grid of words for their agents. Only the spymasters know which words are safe, making every clue a negotiation between ambition and caution.

Play style
Team-based
Suggested age
10+
Time to teach
About 3 min
Time to set up
About 2 min
Player elimination
No

How it plays

Word associationDeduction

Rules at a glance

Your goal

Reveal all your team's agents before the other team, without revealing the assassin.

The flow of play

  1. The spymaster gives a one-word clue and a number

  2. Teammates discuss and touch words to guess

  3. Resolve each guess against the key, ending the turn on an incorrect guess

A quick introduction to the base game. Use your edition’s rulebook for full setup, card effects and exceptions.

CGE game and rules ↗

A feel for the game

socialteam playbeginner friendlyscalable
Suggested age
10+
Interaction
High
Reading
High
Conflict
None
Luck or skill
Skill
Table space
Medium
Downtime
Low

Playing times and difficulty are catalog estimates and may vary by group and edition. Consult the official rulebook for complete rules.

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