Codenames Helper – Offline Party Word Game
A free pass-and-play helper for the word game Codenames. Deal a random 5x5 grid of agent codenames, show the secret key card only to the two spymasters, and let the teams give one-word clues and guess. The tool deals, referees and keeps score — the fun stays at your table.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do we play Codenames with this helper?
Divide into red and blue teams and pick one spymaster per team. Set team names, a word bank and optional rules, then deal a new game. The spymaster opens the key card view behind the privacy curtain, gives a one-word clue out loud and records the word and number on screen. The team then takes the device and taps cards to guess: correct agents keep the turn alive, bystanders and enemy agents end it, and the assassin loses the game instantly.
What is the spymaster in Codenames?
Each team has one spymaster. Spymasters see the secret key card that shows the identity of every word on the grid, while field operatives see only the words. On your turn your spymaster gives exactly one word plus a number to steer your team toward your own agents. Spymasters sit where both can see the key card view and must stay silent while the other team guesses.
How does the clue number work?
The number says how many of your own codewords the clue relates to. Your team may guess up to number + 1 times: a clue of 2 allows up to 3 guesses, and a clue of 1 allows 2. Stopping earlier is always allowed. The special number 0 means no codeword relates and still allows one guess, and the infinity mark removes the guess cap until a miss. Saying a larger number than the words you actually have in mind is against the rules.
What happens if a team picks the assassin?
The team that touches the assassin codeword loses the game immediately, no matter how many agents each side has already covered. The other team wins on the spot. Spymasters should never steer teammates toward the assassin, and careful guessers keep the assassin as the last word they would ever consider.
How many players do we need for Codenames?
The game works best with 4 to 8 or more players split into two teams of at least two, with one spymaster per team. Teams of unequal size are fine. You also need a device everyone can see: pass one phone around, or connect it to a TV so the grid stays public while the spymaster view stays private.
Can you play Codenames with 2 players?
Yes, with a cooperative twist. Two players share one team and take turns acting as the spymaster and the guesser: one gives a clue and records it, the other guesses, then you swap roles. Count how many clues it takes to cover all 9 agents and try to beat your record next game. The standard competitive mode needs two teams, so 3 players is the minimum for that.
What counts as a valid clue in Codenames?
A valid clue is a single word that is not visible on the grid and is not a part of any visible word. No gestures, rhymes about positions, number of syllables hints or comments like this one is a stretch. Whether names, abbreviations or foreign words are allowed is decided by the opposing spymaster before the team guesses; if the two spymasters disagree, the clue is not used.
Is this the official Codenames game?
No. This page is an unofficial, fan-made helper for playing the Codenames party game in person. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Czech Games Edition, and it does not include clues, AI opponents or the original artwork. It deals codeword grids, referees the rules and keeps score — the game itself stays yours.
Explore Game Details
Codenames Rules
Overview. Codenames is a team word game for two teams. Twenty-five codename cards are laid out in a 5 by 5 grid. Each card hides an identity: nine agents for the starting team, eight agents for the other team, seven innocent bystanders, and one assassin. Only the two spymasters know the identities, because they alone can see the key card.
Setup
Split into a red team and a blue team. Each team chooses one player as its spymaster; everyone else is a field operative. Both spymasters sit on the same side of the table. Choose or enter a word bank, then deal a new grid. The key card assigns 9 agents to the first team, 8 to the second team, 7 bystanders, and 1 assassin. With the double agent rule on, one of the first team agents is shared: it counts for both teams, so whichever team names it covers a word for itself.
Giving a clue
On your turn the spymaster gives exactly one word plus one number, for example water: 2, meaning two of your codewords relate to water. The clue may not be any word visible on the grid, nor a part of one. No gestures, no extra comments, no changes of tone. The number says how many of your words the clue points to; saying a smaller number is allowed, saying a bigger number than the words you have in mind is not. The number 0 means that no codeword relates, and the infinity mark means the team may keep guessing until it misses. Whether proper nouns are legal is decided by the opposing spymaster.
Guessing
The field operatives discuss and then tap a card. A correct hit covers one of your agents and you may keep guessing while guesses remain: the limit is the clue number plus one, so a clue of 2 allows up to 3 guesses. The team may stop at any time, and stopping is never punished. Hitting a bystander ends the turn immediately. Hitting an enemy agent covers it for the enemy and ends your turn — if that was the last enemy word, the enemy wins on the spot. Hitting the assassin makes your team lose instantly, no matter the score.
Winning
The first team to have all of its agent codenames covered wins the game. Because the starting team has nine words and the other team eight, the teams should alternate who goes first across a series. The built-in series score tracks wins across games.
Using this tool
This page is a dealer and referee for playing the physical party game, not an opponent: the spymasters give their clues out loud and record them on screen so everyone can see. Open the spymaster view only behind the privacy curtain, hand the device to the team for guessing, and the tool flips cards, counts guesses, switches turns and judges the assassin. An optional per-turn timer ends the turn when it runs out.
Codenames Strategy Tips
For spymasters. Look for words that share a category rather than a single strong link: animal: 3 can cover owl, shark and spider at once. Give the number one lower than you dare — a conservative 2 that your team finds safely beats a bold 3 that leads them into the assassin. Never aim at a word that is one letter from the assassin. Watch the grid from the enemy side too: every clue you give also suggests words to the other team.
For field operatives. Agree on your first guess before touching anything, and spend your extra guess only when the whole team understands why. If the first hit was clean, the extra guess should target the strongest remaining link, not a hunch. When the clue is 0, treat it as free information: every word you can rule out shrinks the danger zone for later turns.
Reading the board. Covered cards are public, so count what is left: when the enemy is down to two words, a single bad clue from them can end the game — sometimes the winning move is a careful 1 that cannot possibly hit their last agents. With the double agent rule on, remember that the shared word counts for whoever names it first, so covering your ninth word early can also close out the enemy total.
About Codenames
Codenames was created by designer Vlaada Chvátil and published by Czech Games Edition in 2015. It quickly became one of the most celebrated party games of its decade and won the Spiel des Jahres, the German game of the year award, in 2016. The original edition prints 400 English codewords on double-sided cards; the same system has since been released in many languages and themed editions, plus a cooperative Duet version.
This page is an unofficial, fan-made helper in the spirit of a dealer at the table: it lays out the 5 by 5 grid, keeps the key card private, referees guesses and tracks the score, so a group can play with one phone, a tablet or a big screen. It does not generate clues — the wit is supposed to come from the players. The built-in English word banks follow the style of the original list, and a manual entry mode lets you paste your own 25 words in any language.
Codenames is a trademark of its respective owner. This page is an unofficial, fan-made implementation and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the trademark owner.
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