RULES
Spy game rules
Spy is a party game of questions and bluffing. Everyone gets the same secret word — except the spy, who only knows they are the spy. Here is how a round of Spyzy works, from setup to the final score.
- Players
- 3–12
- You need
- One phone
- Round
- 5, 8 or 10 min
- Price
- Free
Goal of the game
Agents know the secret word. They want to find the spy without giving the word away.
The spy doesn’t know the word. They want to blend in and survive the vote — or work out the word and name it.
Rules step by step
01 Setup
- 3 to 12 players share one phone.
- Pick a number of spies or “Random count”: one is most likely, each extra spy half as likely — and once in a while everyone is a spy.
- Choose one or more word sets and mission sets, and the round time.
- Names, avatars and each player’s card language are optional.
02 Dealing cards
- Pass the phone around. Each player holds a finger on the screen to see their card and lets go to hide it.
- Agents see the word; the spy only sees that they are the spy.
- Your secret mission is under the card.
- Don’t like the word? “New word” deals everything again: a different word, roles and missions.
03 Questioning
- The timer starts. The app shows who asks whom.
- “Questions in turn”: whoever answered asks the next player. Off — random pairs.
- Ask and answer so your team can tell you know the word, but the spy can’t work it out.
- You can pause the round, and vote any time without waiting for the timer.
04 Voting
- The phone goes around, everyone votes in secret.
- You can mark several suspects, since the number of spies may be unknown. You can’t vote for yourself.
- Spies are caught if everyone with the most votes is a spy. Agents win.
- If an agent is on top, or tied with a spy, the spies escape and win.
- If everyone was a spy, the round just reveals the word — nobody wins.
05 Spy names the word
- Any time during the round, tap “Spy names the word”.
- The player picks their name — everyone is listed, so it gives nothing away — and picks the word from up to 7 words of the topic.
- Right word — only that spy wins. Wrong word — the agents win.
- If a non-spy claims, the agents win right away.
06 Secret missions
- Every player gets a mission, agents and spies alike — so having one doesn’t reveal the spy.
- Missions don’t repeat while the set has enough of them.
- Complete your mission unnoticed during the round.
- After the round, read the missions aloud and tick the completed ones. An agent mission is worth +1 point, a spy mission +2.
07 Points and dossier
- Win: every agent gets +1, every escaping spy +2. Spies are outnumbered, so their win is worth more.
- If a spy named the word, only that spy gets +2.
- Points for completed missions are added on top. The standings cover every round of the evening.
- The “Evening dossier” awards titles: best spy (most escapes), detective (agent with most correct votes), most suspicious and mission master.
Tips
For agents
- Ask questions that only someone who knows the word can answer well, but that don’t name it.
- Watch for answers that are too vague, too careful or just repeat what others said.
- Don’t hint too clearly — the spy is listening and can name the word at any moment.
- The number of spies may be random, so don’t stop at the first suspect.
For spies
- Listen closely to the first answers: they often narrow the word down fast.
- Give short answers that fit many words, and say them with confidence.
- Ask questions that sound specific but give nothing away.
- Sure about the word? Name it before the vote — a right guess wins the round for you alone, a wrong one hands it to the agents.
Gather your agents.
Install Spyzy and start your first round in 10 seconds.