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Codenames vs Decrypto: Which Word Game Fits Your Group?
Codenames and Decrypto are team word games built around giving clues without revealing too much.
Codenames and Decrypto are team word games built around giving clues without revealing too much.
Codenames and Decrypto are team word games built around giving clues without revealing too much. Codenames is simpler and more immediate; Decrypto is more layered because information accumulates across rounds.
Quick comparison
| Codenames | Decrypto | |
|---|---|---|
| Main goal | Identify your team’s agents | Transmit codes without interception |
| Clue format | One word + number | Clues for ordered keywords |
| Information growth | Board shrinks | Opponent clue history grows |
| Teaching load | Very low | Low–medium |
Codenames is easier to introduce
A Spymaster gives a one-word clue and a number, and teammates point to words on a 5×5 grid. The assassin creates an immediate lose condition.
Decrypto rewards multi-round deduction
Each team has four secret keywords. Clues must communicate a three-digit code to teammates while keeping the keyword mapping hidden from opponents, who collect clue history and attempt interceptions.
Which is more strategic?
Decrypto usually creates more cumulative deduction because every clue can reveal information to the opposing team later. Codenames is more about finding one efficient connection on the current board.
Which fits your group?
- Codenames: better for larger mixed groups and a faster teach.
- Decrypto: better for groups who want more sustained deduction and repeated-team play.
Full guides
Publisher sources
Comparison checked September 2026.