pickagame
Party15 min

Undercover

Everyone gets a secret word. A few got a different one. Find them.

Play on a phone each, or pass one phone around the table. Most of you get the same secret word — say, "Coffee". One or two players, the Undercovers, get a word that’s close but not the same — "Tea". Nobody is told which group they’re in. If Mr. White is playing, they get no word at all and have to bluff from scratch.

Each round, everyone gives a single clue about their word, then the table votes someone out and their role is revealed. Clues that are too obvious help the Undercover blend in; clues that are too vague make you look suspicious. That tension is the whole game.

Civilians win by catching every infiltrator. Undercovers win by surviving until just one civilian is left. Mr. White, if caught, gets one guess at the civilians’ word — and wins on the spot if it’s right. Points carry across rounds, so there’s always a rematch.

How it works

  • Choose how to play: a phone each (open a room and share the code) or one phone passed around. Then choose how many Undercovers, and whether Mr. White plays.
  • Everyone looks at their own word, on their own phone or by holding the card on the shared one.
  • Go round in the order shown, one clue each. Don’t say the word itself.
  • Discuss, then vote: on your own phones, or tap the player the table picked. Their role is revealed.
  • Keep going until one side wins. Points add up over rounds.

Common questions

How many players do you need?
At least three, and it gets better from five up. Up to twenty can play, on their own phones or sharing one. The game suggests how many Undercovers to use for your group, and you can change it.
Do Undercovers know they’re Undercover?
No — that’s the twist. They just see a word. They only realise something is off when the others’ clues don’t quite match theirs, and then they have to bluff.
What does Mr. White do?
Mr. White gets no word and has to invent clues from what the others say. If voted out, Mr. White gets one guess at the civilians’ word, and a correct guess wins the round outright.
How are points scored?
When civilians win, each civilian gets 2 points. When the infiltrators win, each Undercover gets 10 and Mr. White gets 6. A correct guess by Mr. White is worth 12. Points carry over into the next round.
Can we use our own words?
Yes. Under "Your own word pair", type two similar words, and they’re used for the next round instead of a random pair.

Undercover is a social bluffing game: the fun is in reading people, not in being right. Keep clues to words, not gestures toward anyone, and remember the vote is about the game — nobody is actually being accused of anything.

Okay, now pick another

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Undercover