Word Spy is the only mode with hidden roles. Everyone sees the same secret word — except one player, who sees nothing and has to act as though they know anyway. Over several rounds everyone submits a clue word and then votes on who seems suspicious. It is a game about how much you can say without saying too much.
| Group size | Spies |
|---|---|
| 4 to 5 players | 1 spy |
| 6 to 8 players | 2 spies |
The civilians see the secret word. In the same spot, the spy sees only the information that they are the spy. Nobody learns who is who — even two spies do not know about each other.
If the spy's clue word happens to be the secret word itself, the round ends in their favour on the spot — no vote, no discussion. It is the riskiest option in the mode: if you think you have worked the word out, you can put everything on one card. Get it wrong and your wildly unfitting clue has exposed you.
| Outcome | Points |
|---|---|
| Civilians win | Each surviving civilian scores as many points as there are civilians left |
| Spies win | Each surviving spy scores 3 points |
| Spy guesses the word | Each spy scores 3 points and the round ends immediately |
That civilian scoring rule is the heart of the mode: expose the spy early, while everyone is still in, and you take the full amount. Find them only after three innocents have been thrown out and you get almost nothing. False accusations do not just cost time — they cost the reward.
Rounds continue until someone reaches 12 points.
A clue that makes the word obvious helps the spy more than the group. They read your clues before writing their own. Too clear a clue hands them the answer for free.
Write something that could apply to anything and you look suspicious yourself. Worse, you give the group no way of telling that you belong.
The spy writes last and knows it. A clue that fits all the previous ones suspiciously well without adding anything new often comes from someone who has simply summarised what they read.
If you do not know the word, pick a category term that fits the clues so far. It looks harmless and is hard to argue against.
Nothing is more suspicious than defending someone everyone else believes is guilty. As the spy you survive by going along quietly — even when an innocent person goes down for it.