Codenames – Awesome and Exciting Cooperative Word Game

Codenames game

Codenames, the game took the board gaming world by storm when it was released in 2015. Designed by Vlaada Chvátil and published by Czech Games Edition, it went on to sell millions of copies, spawning many different editions and some online implementations since that initial release.

What I love about this game is just how simple it is to teach and how it works in so many situations. I can’t recall a situation where this game has ever failed me. I have played it at Christmas parties, New Years’ eve gatherings, simple nights in with my partner with codenames duet and it always just works. The possibilities are endless, and I really hope to put this game on your radar if it is not already.

In this article I want to go over the codenames board game, some of its variants, playing it online, the rules, and some other tidbits. Enjoy the read and don’t forget to comment down below.

Codenames board game

The original board game has a minimum of 4 people split into two teams, red and blue. Each team consists of field operatives and spymasters. A 5 by 5 grid is created from 25 codenames chosen at random. The spymasters are able to see the key for the game. The key tells the spymasters where their agents are on the grid, as well as the deadly assassin.

As the spymaster, your clues must consist of a single word and number i.e. “Chess 2”. You want to think of a word that will join as many of your team’s agents codenames together on the board, while simultaneously not causing them to pick the assassin or the other team’s agents. This can be tricky, and you will often find your brain doing some serious overtime thinking of the clue to give. For instance, my example of “Chess 2” above, might work really well if the words “board” and “queen” are on the grid.

Conversely, it would not work very well if the assassin or other team’s agents have the word “checkered” on the board. Those are the nuances you really need to keep an eye out for. I have seen someone lose this game on the first turn because they didn’t double-check what the assassin codename was.

The first team to find all their agents celebrates in glorious victory!

Codenames pictures

Some people might prefer to play with pictures instead of words as their codenames. If this is the case then codenames pictures is definitely the one for you to pick up instead. If you are not sure, you can even pick up both and mix and match words with pictures in the same game!

Codenames duet

I mention this game in my top games of 2021. It is my preferred way of playing this board game. I like this version as it works with 2 players and up. It is so easy to play with your significant other, and I 100% recommend it as a couples game. In this version of the game, you work together against the board. You both have different keys (double-sided card) to the grid, although there is some overlap. Watch out though, as there are now three assassins on the board!

You can head over to Amazon if you are interested in purchasing the original, pictures, or duet version of the board game.

Codenames online

Codenames.game

Play here: https://codenames.game/

This is the authoritative place to play the game online with organic monthly traffic of 290 000+ visits. You can play both the original and duet board game on this site. It is super simple to get going. You create the game, click on players, copy the link of the room to the clipboard, send it to your friends, wait for them to join, and click ‘start new game’. Simple as that.

Horsepaste

Play here: https://www.horsepaste.com/

Very similar to codenames.game but without all the bells and whistles. It has organic monthly traffic of 30 000+ visits so there is a fair portion of people that choose to get their codenames fix on this site.

Steam

Find this steam workshop item here: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1370354402

If you already own tabletop simulator, why not try this free download from the steam workshop and see if it tickles that codenames itch.

Codenames rules (how to play codenames)

• Split into two teams of at least 2 players each (red team and blue team)
• Choose one of your team members to be the spymaster (clue giver)
• The remaining team members become field operatives
• The spymasters sit on the same side of the table
  • The field operatives sit on the other side of the table
• Choose 25 codenames at random
  • Lay them out in a 5-by-5 grid
• Choose a key card at random and reveal it only to the spymasters
  • The red squares correspond to the red team’s agents (i.e. the codenames the red team’s spymaster wants to give clues for)
  • The blue squares correspond to the blue team’s agents (i.e. the codenames the blue team’s spymaster wants to give clues for)
  • The black square is the deadly assassin, no team wants that codename to be picked unless it is the opposing team
  • Pale squares are the innocent bystanders
• The four colored lights around the key card indicate which team goes first

Key and grid

• 17 agent cards
  • 8 red agents go to the red spymaster
  • 8 blue agents go to the blue spymaster
  • 1 double agent is flipped to the color of the team going first and given to that spymaster
• 7 innocent bystanders and 1 assassin card
  • Put in between both spymasters
• The first spymaster thinks of a one-word and one-number clue and gives it to his field operatives. i.e. “Ghost 3”
  • The clue should try and join as many of that team’s codenames together as possible
• The field operatives discuss amongst themselves what they think the codenames are
• The field operatives make an official guess by putting their finger on the codename they think it is
  • If it is indeed one of their agents, the spymaster covers that agent with one of his agent cards in that color. Continue to guess, but no extra clues are given. You can guess n+1 times. i.e. “Ghost 3” can have up to 4 correct guesses.
  • If it is an innocent bystander, the spymaster covers that codename with one of the innocent bystander cards. This ends the turn.
  • If it is not one of their agents but is the other team’s agent, the other team’s spymaster covers that agent with one of his agent cards in that color. This ends the turn.
  • The game ends if the assassin is chosen, and the other team wins.
• The first team to find all their agents is declared the winner
• Play again

Codenames generator

You might start to tire of the words if you play the game a lot. In this case you can go to a word generator to generate some more words. A site like https://randomwordgenerator.com/ will do the trick. It can generate 50 words at time, which you can print and cut out for your future games.

List of codenames

The list of words in the original English version of the game can be seen below.

Continued…

FAQ

How do you explain codenames?

Split into two teams. Choose a clue-giver aka spymaster in each team. Make a 5×5 grid of codename. Reveal key card to spymasters only. Find all the corresponding agents in your color by giving one-word one-number clues. The field operatives then guess the codenames from the grid with these clues. A more in-depth explanation can be found here.

Is there an online version of codenames?

Yes, there are multiple online versions of codenames. Here is a list of some of them.

• https://codenames.game
• https://www.horsepaste.com
• https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1370354402&searchtext=codenames

How can I get codenames online?

Head over to one of the many sites to play codenames online. Try https://codenames.game or https://www.horsepaste.com. If you are looking to buy a physical version from an online store, you can buy it at Amazon.

Can you play codenames online with 2 players?

Yes, you can play codenames online with 2 players. After entering a room on https://codenames.game you can select either the original or duet version of the board game.

How can I play codenames online for free?

Play codenames online for free at https://codenames.game or https://www.horsepaste.com.

Can you use the same word twice in codenames?

Yes, you can use the same word twice, but on different turns. Your initial clue might be “cat 2”. Later on, in the game, you can say “cat 1”. That is a completely legal clue to give. I would try not to do this though as it could waste precious turns.

FAQ – Continued

Can you use movie titles in codenames?

Sure you can use movie titles, as long as they are one word long. “Jaws 3”!

Can you rhyme in codenames?

“Rhymes are always valid when they refer to meanings. Snail is a valid clue for MAIL because this rhyme is a common phrase – Snail is also a valid clue for WHALE because they are both animals. Snail is not a valid clue for SCALE because their main association is through the sound of the words.” – Rulebook

Can you google words in codenames?

Yes, but this really comes down to the group you are playing with. I have no problems with someone googling a word they don’t know. Sometimes we exchange any words not known by the players at the beginning of the game.

Can you use a letter as a clue in codenames?

“Letters and numbers are valid clues, as long as they refer to meanings. You can use X: 1 as a clue for RAY. You can use eight: 3 as a clue for BALL, FIGURE, and OCTOPUS.” – Rulebook

What are the rules for codenames?

The official rules can be found here: https://czechgames.com/files/rules/codenames-rules-en.pdf

How do you win codenames?

Be the first team to find all your field operatives on the 5-by-5 grid. In other words, being awesome!

FAQ – Continued

What is the difference between codenames and codenames duet?

Codenames is for a minimum of 4 players, whereas duet can be played with 2 players and up. In codenames you play one team vs the other team, whereas in codenames duet you play vs the game.

How many guesses do you get in codenames?

You get n+1 guesses. So if the clue was “Garden 3” you could have up to 4 guesses. However, your turn is instantly over if you guess the other teams agent or an innocent bystander.

How do you give good clues in codenames?

Try and figure out what words on the grid connect together well. Then decide on a word that connects them. Lastly double check that your clue will in no way get the deadly assassin guessed. A bonus would be to check that it also does not get your opposing teams words picked either.

Are abbreviations allowed in codenames?

“Technically, CIA is not one word. But it is a great clue. You can decide to allow common abbreviations like UK, lol, and PhD. And words like laser, radar, and sonar are always allowed, even though they originated as acronyms” – Rulebook

Can you say verb in codenames?

Yes you can use verbs. As long as it sticks to the rule of one word, followed by one number. i.e. “Jump: 3”

What the spymaster provides in codenames?

The spymaster provides the clues to the field operatives. Always one word followed by one number. i.e. “Shark: 2”

Thanks…

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