Office game guide
Codenames
Turn shared references into team rivalry.
Codenames is compact enough for a social hour and rich enough to reward teams that learn how one another think. Every clue creates a conversation that lasts beyond the round.
- Players
- 4–8+
- Time
- 15–30 min
- Office fit
- Department rivalry
- Track
- Round wins
How to play
Give the table a clear rhythm.
Use this as a quick first-game guide, then keep the official rules close for edge cases and exact details.
Create two mixed teams
Each team chooses one spymaster. Only the spymasters may see the key that identifies agents, bystanders and the assassin.
Lay out 25 words
Build a five-by-five grid, draw a key and place the coloured agent cards where both spymasters can reach them.
Give one clue
The active spymaster says one word and one number. The word links their agents; the number suggests how many cards share the link.
Discuss and guess
Operatives choose one card at a time. A correct agent allows another guess; a bystander or opposing agent ends the turn.
Find the team first
Reveal every agent in your colour to win. Touching the assassin ends the game immediately for your team.
Before the first turn
Set up for a smooth start.
- Lay 25 word cards in a five-by-five grid.
- Split colleagues into balanced teams and choose spymasters.
- Keep the key card hidden from operatives.
- Place agent, bystander and assassin cards beside the grid.
Make it a season
Let departments trade wins all season.
Record the winning team, rotate spymasters and reshuffle line-ups across the month. Individual league points work even when the exact teams change.
Create your season- Result
- 1 team win per game
- Season points
- 3 per winning player
- Rotation
- New spymaster each round
- Tiebreak
- Fewest team turns