Objective of the Game

Codenames is a team-based word game where players are divided into two teams. Each team has a "spymaster" who tries to help their team guess the "correct" words on the board while avoiding the "incorrect" words.

Setup

1. Game Board: Lay out a 5x5 grid of 25 cards on the table, each displaying a word.
2. Teams: Split players into two teams (red and blue). Each team selects a spymaster.
3. Key Card: The spymasters draw a key card showing which of the 25 words belong to their team. It also shows the location of the assassin (the "wrong" word).
4. Clue Cards: These remain with the spymasters to help them give clues to their teams about the correct words.

Gameplay

1. Giving Clues: The starting team's spymaster gives their team a clue composed of one word and a number (e.g., "animal 2"). This number indicates how many words on the board are related to the clue.
2. Guessing: The team tries to guess the words based on the clue. They may guess up to "number + 1". This means for "animal 2," they can guess up to three words.
3. Revealing: Once a word is guessed, the spymaster covers the respective word field with either a red or blue card, depending on which team the word belongs to, or with a neutral card if it belongs to neither.
4. Wrong Choices: If the word belongs to the opposing team or is neutral, the turn ends immediately. If the "assassin" word is chosen, the guessing team instantly loses the game.

Ending the Game

The game ends when: - One team successfully identifies all of their team's words (winning the game), or - One team guesses the "assassin" word (losing the game).

Strategies

• Spymasters should devise clues that cover multiple words to guide their teammates effectively.
• Team players should communicate to find the best solutions together.
• It is important to carefully consider words to avoid inadvertently picking the assassin word.

Tip: Forming word associations that cover multiple cards requires creativity and knowledge of your teammates' thought processes.