The word guessing spy game online. Give one-word clues, guess the right words. Play instantly in your browser โ no download, no account required.
The word guessing spy game online. Give one-word clues, guess the right words. This is a free browser game โ it works on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge without any installation. It also works on mobile browsers and Chromebooks.
Codenames was designed by Czech game designer Vlaada Chvรกtil and published in 2015. It won the Spiel des Jahres โ the most prestigious board game award in the world โ in 2016. The award recognized Codenames for creating a party game that rewarded genuine intelligence and creativity rather than luck or performance, while remaining accessible enough for family play.
The Spymaster role is the game's creative challenge. Giving a clue that connects multiple codenames without touching enemy agent words or the assassin requires simultaneously evaluating every possible interpretation of your intended clue across all 25 board words. The best Spymasters think systematically: list all your team's words, group them by possible connections, then check each potential connecting clue word against every enemy and assassin word for unintended overlaps.
Field operative discussion is the game's social comedy engine. When three people interpret a clue completely differently and must reconcile their interpretations through discussion, the conversation reveals how different people's mental associations work. The moment everyone simultaneously understands an unexpected connection, or the horror of realizing you touched the assassin word, creates the memorable moments that make Codenames a party game people play repeatedly.
Custom word list creation transforms Codenames from a party game to a group communication tool. A team of friends can create word lists of inside jokes. A classroom can create subject-specific lists for educational use. A corporate team can create company-specific vocabulary for team building. The word list customization makes the game infinitely adaptable to any context or group.
Codenames performs exceptionally well as a video call companion game. The shared online board eliminates logistics โ no physical cards, no setup time, no cleanup. Sharing the link plus a voice call is all that's needed for a complete experience. During periods of remote work and social distancing, Codenames became one of the most popular virtual team bonding activities worldwide.