“Loose lips sink ships.” The cautionary saying originated on propaganda posters during WWII and advises against unguarded talk. After all, you never know if a spy might be listening.

April’s Game of the Month Spyfall gives players the chance to experience that feeling, and better yet, the chance to catch the spy! Or alternately, the chance to experience what it is like to be a spy who’s cover is blown!

In Spyfall, one player takes on the role of the spy, who is trying to figure out the secret location on the other players’ cards.  Everyone else is trying to figure out who the spy is by asking questions about the location.

The game contains thirty decks of eight cards placed in sealed plastic bags.  Each bag contains one spy card and seven identical location cards, each with a different role on them. The roles determine who the player is at the location. If the location were an ocean liner, for example, roles might include: captain, passenger, and engineer. The non-spy players are expected to adhere to the roles they have been given and answer questions accordingly. These bags are shuffled, one is selected randomly, the cards are dealt, and the game is ready to begin!

Players will take turns asking and answering questions. Once you have answered a question, you can ask a question of your own to anyone except the player who just asked you. Players must be careful about what they say. If they are too specific, the spy can figure out the location, but if they are too vague they will cast suspicion on themselves. Not only that, but time is against them! Players only have eight minutes to figure out who the spy is. If they do not expose the spy, or worse if they accuse the wrong player, they lose and the spy wins the round! After each round players accumulate points, and whoever has the most after a set number of rounds is the winner.

The next time you visit Ravenwood Castle or the Malted Meeple grab a cold beverage and enjoy catching some spies!

Jim Reed

Jim Reed is a lifelong gamer who started with the original red box Dungeons & Dragons. After spending 20 years in the corporate world, he decided it was high time that work be fun and struck out on his own. Jim now owns and operates Ravenwood Castle, and spends his days ensuring his guests have as much fun as he does.