1. Overview
    1. Spymasters know secret identities of 25 agents
    2. Teammates only know the agents by their codenames
    3. Spymasters take turns to give one-word clues
      1. Clue may relate to multiple words on the table
    4. Teammates guess words on the table
      1. If it matches word on the table, Spymaster reveals the secret identity
        1. If it is the team's agent, team continues guessing
        2. If not, next team makes a guess
  2. Gameplay (Teams take turns)
    1. Spymaster Gives a Clue
      1. Spymaster selects the codenames/agents that he/she would like the team to uncover
      2. Spymaster gives one word clue
      3. Spymaster shouts out the number of codenames related to the clue
        1. This will indicate maximum number of correct guesses team can make for the turn. However, if team makes a correct guess from previous clue, they are allowed 1 extra guess
    2. Teammates Make Contact by Guessing
      1. Teammates discuss the clue while Spymaster keeps a straight face
        1. Team makes a guess by touching one of the codenames on the table
          1. Outcome of guess
          2. Card belongs to their team
          3. Cover card with agent card
          4. Guess another word
          5. Card is an innocent bystander
          6. Cover with innocent bystander card
          7. Turn ends
          8. Card belongs to other team
          9. Cover card with other team's agent card
          10. Turn ends
          11. Card is an Assassin Card
          12. Team Loses
          13. Number of Guesses
          14. Total number of available guesses is based on the number of codenames related Spymaster's clue
          15. If team guessed a card correctly from the previous clue, they can make an extra guess
          16. Teams make a least 1 guess
          17. Stop guessing at any time but usually you will want to guess as many words as the Spymaster said
  3. Game Setup
    1. Team and card setup
      1. Spymaster
        1. Each team chooses a person to be Spymaster
        2. Spymasters sit on same side of table
      2. Field Operatives
        1. Rest of team are field operatives
          1. Sit across Spymasters
      3. Codenames
        1. Randomly choose 25 codenames
          1. Place on table in 5 by 5 grid
    2. The Key
      1. Each game has one key revealing secret identities of cards on the table
        1. Spymasters choose key card randomly and slide into stand between them. Operatives must not see it.
          1. Key corresponds to grid
          2. Blue Squares
          3. Words that Blue team must guess
          4. Red Squares
          5. Words that Red team must guess
          6. Pale Squares
          7. Innocent bystanders
          8. Black Square
          9. Assassin that must never be contacted
    3. Who Starts?
      1. 4 lights around edge of key card indicate which team starts
        1. Starting team has 9 words to guess
          1. Team's spymaster gives first clue of the game
        2. Other team has 8
    4. Agent Cards
      1. Red Agent Cards go in a stack in front of Red Spymaster. Blue in front of Blue spymaster.
        1. Double agent belongs to whichever team that starts. Flip to team's colour
          1. Innocent bystanders and assassin kept in between the 2 spymasters
  4. Clues
    1. Rules for Clues
      1. Clue must be about meaning of the words
      2. Letters and numbers are valid clues as long as they refer to the meaning
      3. Must be played in English
      4. Can't say any form of the visible word on the table
      5. Can't say part of a compound word
    2. Homonyms and Spelling
      1. Same sounding words with different meanings/spelling are considered different words
        1. You can only use the meaning for that word for your clue (e.g. clue for knight cannot be used for word night)
      2. Words spelt the same are considered the same even if they have different meanings/pronounciations
        1. You can use the different meanings as clues for the same word
      3. Spell out your clue if someone asks for it
    3. Optional Flexible Rules
      1. Decide if you allow compound words (e.g. mother-in-law)
      2. Allow proper names as one word (e.g. George Washington)
      3. Allow Common Abbreviation (e.g. CIA, PhD)
      4. Allow different meanings for Homonyms (same sounding words) e.g clues for knight for the word night
      5. Allow a rhyming clue even if it is not related to the meaning of the word
    4. Expert Rules: Clue number 0
      1. Spymaster is allowed to call 0 to indicate none of the words are related to the clue
        1. Team continues to make at least one guess
          1. Limit of guesses no longer applies
    5. Expert Rules: Unlimited
      1. If you have multiple unguessed words from previous clues
        1. Spymaster may call unlimited instead of number
          1. Limit of guesses no longer applies
  5. 2 player rules
    1. Play on same team against simulated opponent
    2. Setup game as usual, one player will be the spymaster, the other, field operative
    3. Your team goes first
    4. Play turn as usual
    5. Spymaster simulates enemy team by covering up 1 of the opponent's word each turn
    6. If your team contacts assassin, you lose
    7. If your team wins, give score based on number of opponent agent cards left
  6. 3 player rules
    1. Choose 2 players to compete against each other. Both will be spymasters.
    2. Player who is not Spymaster is the field operative for both teams
    3. Setup is as usual. Field Operative works for both sides
    4. Winning Spymaster is determined the same way as the usual game
    5. Field operative does his best for both sides