Spyfall rules: how to play the spy game
Spyfall, by Alexandr Ushan, is a fast question-and-answer game. Everyone gets the same secret location, like a beach or a submarine, except one player: the spy, who has no idea where they are.
Players question each other to sniff out the spy without giving the location away. It's quick, loud and perfect between longer games.
Teams and roles in Spyfall
Everyone knows where you are, except the spy.
Non-spies
Know the location and try to find the spy without making it obvious where you are.
The spy
Doesn't know the location and tries to blend in, or work out where everyone is.
How to play Spyfall
Deal one card to each player: everyone sees the same location, except one player whose card says 'Spy'.
Start a timer (about eight minutes). The dealer asks any player a question about the location, that player answers and then asks someone else.
Answers should prove you know the location, but stay vague enough not to help the spy.
At any time, a player can accuse someone. If everyone else agrees, the round ends and the accused reveals their card.
The spy can stop the round at any moment, reveal and guess the location.
How to win
- Non-spies win if they correctly accuse the spy.
- The spy wins by guessing the location correctly, or if an innocent player is accused, or if time runs out.
Tips for your first game
Ask questions that only work for the real location, like 'How did you get dressed this morning?'
Spy: listen first, answer second. Echo other people's answers.
Play Spyfall with people near you
Upcoming SyncTrip board-game and social deduction nights. Most people come alone.
Game cafés and game nights by city
Spyfall: questions people ask
How many players do you need for Spyfall?
Three to eight. It's at its best with five to eight players.
Can you play Spyfall online?
Yes, there are free web versions that deal locations to everyone's phone, which also works around a table.
Where can I play party games like Spyfall?
SyncTrip game nights often mix quick party games like Spyfall with longer social deduction games. See what's coming up on this page.
