Codenames
Codenames is a team word game about giving one carefully chosen clue that connects several secret answers. It creates lively discussion without requiring a long rules lesson, making it a strong choice for teens, adults, and larger groups meeting at Midnight Oil community events in Titusville.
Watch How to Play
Video source: Czech Games Edition (official) · Runtime: shown in the player. Edition note: Covers the standard team-game rules.
Quick facts
What is Codenames?
Twenty-five word cards form a grid of possible identities. One clue giver, called a spymaster, on each team can see a key showing which words belong to the red team, which belong to the blue team, which are innocent bystanders, and which single word hides the assassin.
Spymasters connect their team's words with a one-word clue and a number. Their teammates discuss the possibilities and point to words, trying to find all of their agents without helping the other team or choosing the assassin.
How does it play?
- Form two teams. Each team chooses a spymaster; the remaining players become field operatives who make the guesses.
- Build the word grid. Lay out 25 words. Only the spymasters view the key card that identifies every word's hidden role.
- Give one clue and a number. A spymaster says one word intended to connect several of their team's agents, plus the number of words that clue is meant to suggest.
- Discuss and guess. Teammates choose words one at a time. A neutral or opposing word ends the turn, and selecting the assassin immediately loses the game.
- Find every agent first. The first team to identify all of its own agents wins, unless a team reveals the assassin first.
Why you might like it
- A single clue can create clever connections, debate, and memorable misunderstandings.
- Team discussion lets several people contribute without each needing to learn a separate strategy.
- Short games make it easy to switch spymasters and try again with a completely new word grid.
Who is it best for?
Codenames is best for teens, adults, word-game fans, and groups comfortable discussing ideas as a team. It relies on reading, vocabulary, and word association, so it may be less suitable for early readers or people who prefer visual games. Although official variants support very small groups, the classic team experience is strongest with at least four players.
Play it with Midnight Oil
Library games are available to play free at select Midnight Oil community events. They are not currently available for take-home borrowing. Game availability and teaching assistance may vary by event, and visitors may contact us in advance to request a particular game.
Visit the Events page for Midnight Oil's upcoming community gatherings in Titusville. Codenames works especially well when several people want to play together, and you may contact us ahead of time to ask whether it is expected at a particular event.
Frequently asked questions
Do players need trivia knowledge?
No. Codenames is about connecting and interpreting ordinary words, not recalling a fixed set of factual answers.
Must every clue be one word?
The standard game uses a one-word clue followed by a number. The included rules explain which clues are valid and how the number guides the team's guesses.
What happens if a team chooses the assassin?
That team immediately loses the game, so spymasters must avoid clues that could point toward the assassin.
Can Codenames be played with only two people?
The rules include ways to play with two or three people, but the classic competitive team experience is usually best with at least four.