Codenames for Web

What Codenames Is

Codenames is a free, social word-guessing party game you can play online with a group of friends. The game earned major acclaim — including the 2016 Spiel des Jahres — and has been praised as one of the best board games of that year. Designed by Vlaada Chvátil and released by Czech Games Edition, Codenames rewards clever clues and teamwork.

Getting set up

• Copy the game room link and send it to friends so they can join.
• Pick a display name to enter the lobby.
• Choose whether you’ll act as a spymaster or as one of the field operatives.
• Make sure everyone has a steady internet connection; the game runs in your browser.

A standard round uses 25 codename cards arranged randomly in a 5×5 grid. Although Codenames is most fun with six or more players, it can be played with four people if needed.

Core rules and objective

Two opposing sides (commonly referred to as blue and red) compete to identify all of their team’s words on the grid. Each team appoints a spymaster who gives a single-word clue and a number indicating how many words that clue relates to. Field operatives discuss and select cards they believe match the clue. The first team to reveal all their codenames wins, but selecting the assassin card causes an immediate loss.

Quick-start sequence

1. Share the room link so everyone can join the same game.
2. Enter your preferred nickname and wait in the lobby.
3. Assign roles (spymaster or operative) from the game settings.
4. Start the match once teams are ready.

Winning, losing, and hazards

• Revealing all your team’s words before the opponent secures victory.
• Hitting the assassin card ends the game instantly with a loss for the team that picked it.
• Neutral cards and the other team’s words can stall progress or give the opponent an advantage.

Strategy pointers

• Encourage a spymaster who gives clues that are broad but precise enough to link multiple target words.
• Discuss possibilities openly as operatives, but avoid overthinking clues that are deliberately ambiguous.
• Consider practicing hint styles and testing how teammates interpret one-word associations.

Other party-style options

If you want more group guessing or drawing games, try Skribbl.io; for collectible-card tactics, look into the free Digimon Card Game. Both offer different social game experiences that suit larger gatherings.