Codenames: Pictures

Here is an overview of how to play the game:

Setup

• Split players into two teams of roughly the same size, with at least two players on each team (p. 7). Each team chooses one player to be their spymaster, while the rest are operatives (p. 7).
• Mix up the picture cards, choose 20 at random, and lay them out in a 5×4 grid on the table (p. 7).
• Spymasters randomly choose a key card and slide it into a stand between them, matching the orientation of the 5×4 grid (p. 7). Only spymasters can see the key card, which reveals the secret identities of the pictures (p. 11).
• Put the 7 orange tiles in front of the orange spymaster and the 7 purple tiles in front of the purple spymaster, with the 4 bystanders and 1 assassin placed in between (p. 7). The starting team (indicated by triangles on the key card) receives the double agent tile, flipping it to their color and adding it to their tiles (p. 7, 10).

How a Turn Works

• Teams take turns, beginning with the team indicated by the triangles on the key card (p. 3).
• On your turn, the spymaster gives one clue consisting of exactly 1 word and 1 number (p. 3). The word must relate to the pictures, and the number tells how many pictures the clue relates to (p. 3).
• The operatives discuss the clue and make a guess by touching one of the cards (p. 3).
• The spymaster covers the guessed picture with a tile matching the color shown on the key (p. 3). If they guess a picture in their own color, they may guess again (p. 8).
• Operatives are required to make at least 1 guess, and can choose to end their turn voluntarily before or after using the "plus one" rule (which allows them to make one more guess than the number specified by the clue) (p. 2, 4).
• A turn immediately ends if operatives guess an innocent bystander, guess the other team’s picture, or make a wrong guess (p. 1).

How the Game Ends

• Your team wins when your team has no pictures left to guess (p. 2).
• You also win if the opposing team guesses your last picture on their turn, or if the opposing team guesses the assassin (p. 2).
• If a team guesses the assassin on their turn, they immediately lose the game (p. 1).