โค้ดเนม

How the game works

Lay out 25 word cards in a 5 by 5 grid and split into a red team and a blue team. Each team has a Spymaster, who sees a secret key card showing which words belong to which team.

• Most words are red or blue agents.
• Some are innocent bystanders (nobody's).
• One word is the assassin: the team that touches it loses at once.

The first team to find all its agents wins. The team that starts has 9 words, the other 8.

A turn

1. The Spymaster gives a clue: one word and one number, such as "Fruit 2", meaning two words on the table relate to fruit and belong to your team.
2. The team discusses and touches words one at a time. The Spymaster covers each with the right colour card.
3. If it's yours, keep guessing, up to the clue's number plus one.
4. If it's a bystander or the other team's, your turn ends (and the other team gets that word).
5. If it's the assassin, you lose.

You can stop guessing any time after at least one correct guess.

Clues you may not give

• A word that is on the table, or part of one.
• Clues about letters, number of syllables or position on the table.
• No hints with your face, gestures or tone; Spymasters stay still while their team guesses.

Tips for a first game

• Spymasters: find the assassin before every clue and steer clear of anything that might lead to it.
• A clear 2 beats a fuzzy 4 in your first game.
• Guessers: if you missed words last round, use the "plus one" guess to catch up.
• Play in Thai: no Thai edition? Write 25 Thai words on paper slips instead of the word cards.