Are you into thrillers and mysteries? Well, if the answer is yes, then brace yourself for some exciting and challenging Cluedo board game where you will have to solve a murder mystery by finding the person who killed a fictional character, i.e., Mr. X. Use your thinking skills, take notes, and bust the culprit.
This classic detective game will surely help you master solving mysteries. It is best for anyone who wants to build their reasoning and problem-solving skills. Clue is a classic board game played with three to six players.
Players must be 8 years of age and above to be eligible to play this game. Strengthen your detective skills and discover which three cards are hidden in the secret case file envelope that holds all your answers. Let us know more about clue card games and how to play cluedo board games with your friends and families.
Objectives of Clue Board Game
The objective of the Cluedo board game is to bust the killer and find which one from the game is the one who killed Mr. X. Players move from one room to another in the mansion to see who might be the killer. They have to correctly guess the killer character, the weapon they used, and the location where the killing took place.
Clue Board Game Setup
The Cluedo board box consists of many elements you will use while playing the Cluedo game. Try not to misplace any of them, as it might disrupt the game. Let us know what’s in the clue box for you.
- 1 Clue Game Board
- 6 Character tokens
- 50 Cards ( 6 weapon cards, 6 character cards, 9 room cards, 29 clue cards)
- 1 surprise case file envelope
- 6 miniature weapons
- 2 six-sided dice
- Detective notebook sheets
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Number of Players
Clue is a board game for three to six players. Each player plays the role of suspect and must find the killer looking in the victim’s house.
Characters Clue Board
Let us look at six major characters in the standard edition of the Cluedo board.
- Miss Scarlett: She is a female character in the Cluedo board game, represented by the red token.
- Colonel Mustard: This character is a retired military officer represented with a yellow token in the game.
- Mrs. White: She is the housekeeper and cook represented by a white token in the game.
- Reverend Green: Popular as “Mayor Green”, is the local clergyman represented by a green token in the game.
- Mrs. Peacock: She is a widowed socialite represented by a blue token.
- Professor Plum: He is an absent-minded academic teacher represented by a purple token in the game.
Weapons
The weapons in the game are made of different materials, such as rope, plastic, string, gold-plated versions, and silver versions. There are three major weapons that might be a murder weapon in the game.
- Candlestick
- Lead Pipe
- Dagger
- Revolver/Pistol
- Rope
- Spanner
Rooms
There is a total of nine rooms in the game. Check the names of the Cluedo room cards.
- Study
- Kitchen
- Hall
- Ballroom
- Dining Room
- Library
- Lounge
- Billiard Room
- Conservatory
Duration of the game
The average duration of the complete Cluedo game is one hour (approximately). However, this may vary based on how quickly the suspect is spotted. If each player’s acquisition keeps on failing, the game duration will stretch for a long time.
Board and miniatures
Each player gets a miniature placed in random room spaces, with weapons placed in random rooms. The surprise envelope consists of three cards: the killer, weapon card, and place where the mishap took place.
Clue Board GamePlay
Let us now learn the gameplay of the Cluedo board game.
1. Choose your Token/Miniature
Place the board and all character tokens in their marked spaces, even if you play with fewer than 6 players. Choose a character of your choice and place the weapons in separate random rooms.
2. Shufle the Cards
Now, one player shuffles the cards and leaves them facedown near the board. Sort the other cards into three characters, weapons, and room decks. Pick the top cards from each deck and place them inside the file envelope.
Do not let anybody see the cards inside the envelope. Place one murder weapon in each room and place characters in their marked position on the board.
3. Dealing of Cards
Now, one player mixes all three decks, shuffles them, and deals them among the players. No fixed number of cards is guaranteed to any player, as some might receive more cards and others less.
Each player must take their detective sheet and start marking suspects, weapons, and rooms in their own hand, as these cards cannot be present with others.
Do not let anyone see your sheet as this might give them a clue about the killer. Your goal is to solve the murder mystery by correctly guessing who did the murder, by which weapon and where.
4. Start Game
The game starts with Miss Scarlet. However, if no one is playing her game will continue with the next person in the clockwise direction. In your turn, you have to roll a dice and wait for your chance.
Move your character to the number of squares as shown on the dice roll. You cannot move your token diagonally nor move through or land on a square already occupied by another player’s token.
Players move to a room and make a suggestion against a character, saying that they did the murder crime and also mentioning the weapon possibly used. Now, the challenged player must check their hand and notify us if they have any one of the characters or weapons in their hand, as mentioned. If not, players move ahead to the next, and the game continues in the clockwise direction.
Each player reveals what cards are in the other player’s hand by making more and more suggestions. They must also update their marking on the notebook sheets, as this will help them know the cards missing from other players’ hands. This will help them guess the killer’s character, weapon, and location. Players make an accusation when they are sure of who the killer is.
However, if the accusation is wrong the game will continue but this player cannot make any suggestion or accusation but has to keep showing the cards when asked. If no player makes the right acquisition throughout the game the killer goes free. Sounds fun? Let us now unfold the gameplay of the cluedo board game ahead.
You can skip movement in your turn if your character token is in a room and you want to stay there longer. You can also move your character token from one room to the connecting corner room if there is a secret passage connecting the rooms.
5. Make Suggestions and acquisitions
If you are in a room, you can make a suggestion about which character did it and which weapon was used to commit murder. Now, move the suggested character and weapon to the room you are present. For example, Scarlet, with a rope, was killed in the library.
The player to the left of the acquisior looks at their card. If they have one card you are looking for; then they must let you know that you have that card.
If the player has no cards you suggested, the next player shows you a card until everyone is covered. After you see a card present in your opponent’s hand, mark it on your detective sheet and make sure no one sees it. The game continues with players on your left (in the clockwise direction).
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6. Make an Accusation
Keep on analyzing your detective sheet to find a possible culprit, the murder weapon, and the place of murder. If you think you know the real culprit, then make an accusation. For example, Scarlet accuses Mustard of a dagger inside the library.
Match the accused cards in the envelope, and if you find all three cards in the envelope, you win. However, if they do not match, you can continue playing but cannot make a move or make suggestions/accusations. You must show cards in your hand when another player makes a suggestion.
7. Make a win
If you make an accusation and the killer, weapon, and place match the one in the envelope, you win the game. However, if no one makes a correct accusation, then the culprit gets away and nobody wins the game.
Moving Characters/ Tokens on Board
You either move on the square or through various rooms on the board. There are specific rules for moving your tokens around the board based on your position.
Moving on Squares
There are several rules you must follow while moving your tokens around the board. Miss Scarlet starts the game, and then the game continues in the clockwise direction.
Players roll their dice and move their tokens as numbers are displayed on the dice on the yellow or white squares. Players can only move in horizontal or vertical direction but never diagonally.
Moving into Rooms
You can move out of the rooms using the main door or use secret passages in rooms connecting you to adjacent rooms. When another player declares you a suspect, you will automatically move to the specific room where the murder is committed.
Rules of Cluedo Game
You must be familiar with the clue rules to make the game more interesting and fun.
- Players use their dice to move around the mansion and rooms. Characters/tokens can move forward, backward, left, and right between the squares on the board.
- You cannot move your tokens in the diagonal direction.
- Players can choose to use their complete value displayed on the dice or just a part. In events, using lower numbers is more beneficial.
- Players can choose not to move while being in a room. Also, they might move directly from one room to another using secret passages. However, the rooms must be connected to allow movement.
- The objective of the game is to find the killer, the murder weapon, and the place of murder.
- There are 324 possibilities from six characters, six murder weapons, and nine rooms in the game.
- Players must make suggestions with details while present in a room. They must not claim suggestions from the corridor or outside rooms. The character token is moved into the room a player suggests to them for being a suspect.
- Players can disprove any suggestions by showing cards if they secretly have one or more named cards.
- If no players have the named cards the game continues clockwise until someone disapproves of the accusation made. The player turn ends after every player gets their chance.
- If you are determined to make a suggestion, you can make an accusation on your turn.
- There is no need to be present in the same room to make an accusation. You might make accusations immediately after making a suggestion.
- Players who make an accusation can check the envelope secretly without showing it to others, and if the accusations are true, they might inform other players.
- If the accusation is wrong do not let anyone know the cards present in the envelope and the game continues in the clockwise direction until someone makes the right accusation or everyone’s hands get empty.
- If another character is blocking the main door, the character cannot pass through the room until the doorway is cleared.
- Characters/tokens cannot share the same square space on the clue board.
- If all players make false accusations, then the remaining players win by default.
Cluedo Game Strategies
You must adopt the right practice and follow clue rules to get the upper hand in the game and win the game. Cluedo is a mystery-solving game that requires proper strategy in place, problem-solving, and record-keeping to win. Let us know some game-winning strategies for the Cluedo game.
- Choosing Miss Scarlett gives you a chance to start from the lounge. Professor Plum can help you move to the kitchen using a secret passage. Mrs. Peacock is closer to the first room, the conservatory, than any other player. Choose your character wisely.
- Secret passage helps you enter rooms and make suggestions immediately without rolling dice. Make good use of secret passages, as they are the shortest path between rooms and help you make frequent suggestions.
- Making frequent suggestions can help you collect more information about players on the board and take you one step closer to the possible culprit.
- Blocking another player’s passage might prevent them from getting into the room and making suggestions.
- Taking regular notes is essential in the Cluedo game as it will help you track down possible killers, weapons used, and the room where the murder occurred. Beginners might start by marking their cards in hand, while players with more advanced skills keep track of who has a particular card and who does not.
- Keeping an eye on suggestions made during the game might help you know which player might have one or more named cards when someone answers them.
- Players can suggest which cards can be removed from the suspicion list. You might include your cards in suggestions to mislead players into believing the specific card is in the suspect list.
- As players have to relocate to the room suggested, it can prevent players from reaching a solution, especially when they are close to finding the culprit.
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Got Questions?
Why is Clue board game so popular?
Most people love solving mysteries and crime puzzle games. The Cluedo board game is a perfect mix of both and is hence popular among players of all ages. Players have to solve a murder mystery using the correct card combinations and solve a seemingly impossible murder.
What are the things in the Clue game?
A Clue board game consists of six tokens/characters, rooms, weapon tokens, a detective notepad, a pair of dice, and a Cluedo board game.
What are the rooms and weapons in Clue?
There are nine rooms i,e hall, study, billiards room, ballroom, dining room, conservatory, kitchen, library, lounge, and six weapons (wrench, rope, lead pipe, dagger, candlestick, or revolver).
How many cards do you start with in Clue?
The dealer separates cards into three types – 6 suspect cards, 6 weapon cards, and 9 rooms. The dealer shuffles cards and distributes cards to each player. There is no fixed number of cards each player might have, some may get more cards in their hand after all cards are dealt.
Why is it called Cluedo now?
Cluedo represents the gameplay of the Cluedo board game and is hence named so by Waddingtons. He changed the name and added a few more things to the game. Cluedo comprises Clue and Ludo, which make up the complete sense of the game.
How to play Cluedo and win?
Each player rolls a pair of dice and moves their token around the board. The player makes the right accusation and predicts the killer, the weapon used, and the place where the crime occurred.
What is the game Cluedo about?
Cluedo is a murder mystery game in which you must solve a murder case. You must find the real killer, the weapons used in the murder, and the place where the crime occurred. There are six suspects in the game: Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, Reverend Green, and Colonel Mustard.
