User Guide

2
SETUP
Players split up into two teams of similar
size and skill. You need at least four
players (two teams of two) for a standard
game. Variants for two or three players
can be found on the back page.
Each team chooses one player to be
their spymaster. Both spymasters sit on
the same side of the table. The other
players sit across from their spymasters.
They are field operatives.
Randomly choose 25 codenames and
place them on the table in a 5-by-5 grid.
Note: While shuffling the codename
cards, be sure to flip over half the deck
once in a while. This will mix the words
more thoroughly.
The key corresponds to the grid on the table. Blue squares correspond to words that Blue Team must
guess (blue agents). Red squares correspond to words that Red Team must guess (red agents). Pale
squares are innocent bystanders, and the black square is an assassin who should never be contacted at all!
THE KEY
Each game has one key that reveals the secret identities of the cards on the table. The spymasters
should choose the key card randomly and slide it into the stand between them. Any side can be up.
Don't think about it. Just slide it into the stand. And don't let the field operatives see it.
spymasters
field
operatives