Codenames
About the game and how to play
Codenames is a word and association game for two teams. There are 25 words on the table. Each team’s spymaster sees which words are their agents and gives a clue of just one word and a number. The team then taps words: a miss ends the turn and the assassin ends the game on the spot. Available in English and Azerbaijani.
- Players
- 4–20 players
- Category
- Word games
- Price
- Free, no download, no sign-up
- Where to play
- In the browser on phone, tablet and computer
Can be played with friends in an online room
How to play
- Split into two teams; each has one spymaster, who alone sees the key card.
- The spymaster says ONE word and a number — how many agents it points at.
- The team taps words: a miss ends the turn, the assassin ends the game.
- The first team to find all of its agents wins.
Tips
- As spymaster, look for a clue that links two or three of your words, then check it cannot also point at the assassin or an enemy agent. In rooms with more assassins, safe one- or two-word clues pay off.
- Operatives get one more guess than the number in the clue. Save that extra guess for a word left over from an earlier clue — that is how stray agents from previous turns get picked up.
- When in doubt, pass the turn. A bystander only ends your turn, revealing an enemy agent helps the other team, and the assassin ends the game on the spot.
- For large groups, the host should set a turn timer when creating the room so long clue deliberations do not stall the game. When time runs out, the turn passes to the other team automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Can the spymaster use a word that is on the board as a clue?
No — any word still face-down on the board is rejected as a clue. A clue must be a single word with a number from 0 to 9, and 0 gives the team unlimited guesses until they miss or pass.
What happens if we reveal the other team's last agent?
The other team wins. Whichever colour has its last agent uncovered wins the game, no matter which team tapped it.
How many assassins are on the board?
The host picks between 1 and 3 assassins when creating the room. Touching any of them loses the game immediately for the team that touched it.
How are teams set up, and how many people can play?
Codenames here takes 4 to 20 players. Everyone picks a side and role in the lobby; anyone undecided is placed automatically at the start and teams are balanced to within one player. The starting team is chosen at random and gets 9 agents, the other 8.