The trick is finding a clue that can span two, three, or even four words (very hard) at once-knowing full well that the more words you aim at, the more tenuous the link between the codenames and your clue will invariably become. And one word belongs to the game-ending assassin, so the spymasters must make doubly sure that any clue they give can't possibly be interpreted as pointing to that card. Some other words don't belong to either team but to "innocent bystanders." If chosen, these result only in the end of a turn. The game's genius lies in the fact that all players from both teams can see the complete grid of words at all times, while only the spymasters can see the chart showing which words belong to which team. Words are arranged in a 5x5 grid on the table. Players divide into two teams, and each team picks a "spymaster" to give clues to the other team members. New this year, Codenames is already the number one party game in the massive board game database at BoardGameGeek. It doesn't "look" like a gamer's game and thus won't put off people who wouldn't get within ten feet of Lords of Waterdeep (see below), but it has enough pattern-matching depth to keep everyone entertained.Ĭzech Games Edition Codenames ( $20, read our review) Easy to teach and quick to play, Qwirkle is a perfect fit for family gatherings. The simple mechanic produces some wonderful moments as players look for opportunities to make their single line count for maximum points-say, by intersecting with another line. Thus, the maximum length of each particular segment is six squares, which is called a "Qwirkle." That scores double points. Players take turns adding pieces to a growing grid of rows and columns, observing one rule: each turn you can add only to a single line, which can contain either different colors or different shapes (but not both)-no color or shape can repeat. In Qwirkle, each wooden square displays one of six shapes, each printed in one of six colors. The game won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) from German game critics in 2011, and while it's on the lighter side for that award, the accolade is well-deserved. But Qwirkle's 108 wooden squares actually make for a terrific abstract title that's as accessible to in-laws as to 8-year olds. You'd be forgiven for thinking that Qwirkle, with its bright colors and shapes, is a kids' game.
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