Codenames Duet keeps the basic focus of Codenames — give one-word clues to try to get someone to identify your agents among those on the table — but now you are working together as a team to find all of your agents. (Why you do not already know your agents is a question that Congressional investigators will get on your back about later!)

Game Play:

To set up the game, lay out 25 word cards in a 5×5 grid. Place a key card in the holder so that each player can see one side of the card. Each player sees a 5×5 grid on the card, with 9 of the squares colored green (representing your agents) and 1 square colored black (representing an assassin). The assassin is in different places on each side of the card, and 3 of the 9 squares on each side are also green on the other side!

Together, you need to reveal all 15 agents — without revealing either assassin or too many innocent bystanders — before time runs out to win the game. You can decide to give a one-word clue to the other player, along with a number. Whoever gets the clue places a finger on a card to identify that agent. If right, they can attempt to identify another one. If they reveal as many as the number stated by the clue-giver, then they can take one more guess, if desired. If they identify a bystander, then their guessing time is up. If they identify an assassin, you both lose the game!