Codenames: How to Play

Codenames presents a scenario in which two teams of Spy Masters and operatives are attempting to contact their agents in the field before the other team does by figuring out their codenames. 

A five-by-five grid of cards, each with a random word on them, is placed in the middle of the play area. These words are the codenames of the agents. Another card is used by the Spy Master. This card has a five-by-five grid of red, blue, white, and only one black square printed on it. If a square on this grid is red, then the same place in the grid of cards represents a red agent. The Spy Masters know this, but the Operatives don't because they cannot see this card. To help the operatives, the Spy Master gives a clue to which cards represent their agents. If the bottom-left corner in the grid of squares is red, then the bottom-left corner in the grid of cards represents a red agent. Let's say this card has the word "Grass" on it. The red spymaster might say "Plant" as a clue for that card. The operative then has to guess which cards the Spy Master means. If he guesses right, then the red team has discovered one of their agents and gets a point.