Codewords
The classic word-association spy game online. Red vs Blue — spymasters know the secret key, operatives guess the right words. One wrong pick on the assassin ends it all.
Codewords is the word-association spy game online — Red vs Blue teams, spymasters who see the secret key card, and operatives who guess words from one-word clues. Hit the assassin word and the game is over. Unlike passing a physical board around, everyone plays from their phone with roles assigned automatically.
Make it your own
Use our built-in content or upload your own — any theme works.
How it works
Create & join
Host sets up a room — players join and pick Red or Blue plus a role.
Spymasters clue
Starting team spymaster gives a one-word clue and a number.
Guess to win
Operatives tap words — first team to find all their words wins.
Game rules & how to play
Objective
- Two teams — Red and Blue — race to identify all of their team’s words on a 5×5 grid.
- First team to find all their words wins. Hit the assassin word and your team loses instantly.
Setup
- Players join and pick a team plus a role: spymaster or operative.
- Each team needs exactly one spymaster. Spymasters see the secret key card; operatives see only words.
How a turn works
- The starting team’s spymaster gives a one-word clue and a number (how many words it relates to).
- Operatives tap words they think match the clue. Correct guesses let you keep guessing; wrong guesses end the turn.
- Revealing a neutral word, the other team’s word, or the assassin ends the turn — assassin ends the game.
Winning
- Find all your team’s words before the other team finds theirs.
- Avoid the single assassin word hidden on the grid.
Why play on FateRound
Two teams, hidden roles
Pick spymaster or operative — spymasters see the full key card, operatives see only words.
One-word clues
Give a clue and a number — your team guesses which words match. Avoid the assassin!
Live results
Votes sync in real time. Reveal round-by-round or all at once.
No sign-up
Create a game and play in seconds — no account needed.
Perfect for
Frequently asked questions
- How many players do you need for Codewords?
- Codewords works with 4–12 players. Create a game on FateRound, share the link or code, and everyone joins from their browser — no sign-up required.
- Is Codewords free to play online?
- Yes. Codewords on FateRound is completely free — no download, no payment, and no account needed. Create a game and start playing in under a minute.
- Can I play Codewords on my phone?
- Yes. FateRound runs in any mobile browser. Share the room link in your group chat and everyone can play Codewords from their phone or desktop.
- How is Codewords different from Codenames?
- Codewords follows the same word-association spy game format — two teams, spymaster clues, and a 5×5 word grid — playable free in your browser on FateRound with no board or app required.
- How do you play Codewords?
- Two teams, Red and Blue, each with a spymaster who can see which words on the 5×5 grid belong to their team. Spymasters take turns giving a one-word clue plus a number, and their operatives guess which words it points to. Guess your own team’s words to win — but avoid the other team’s words and the single assassin word, which loses the game instantly.
- What is the assassin word?
- One hidden word on the grid is the assassin. If a team guesses it, they lose the game immediately — so spymasters have to give clues that steer their operatives well clear of it. It’s what makes every clue a gamble.
More questions? Read the full FAQ