Codebreaker — Colour Code Guessing Game

A two-player deduction game. One player sets a secret code out of coloured pieces and hides it; the other guesses. After each guess the setter gives clues about how close it was, and the guesser uses those clues to rule possibilities out. The pleasure is in narrowing it down, not in luck.

How you play

1. One player makes a secret code from the coloured pieces and hides it.
2. The other player puts down a guess.
3. The setter marks how many colours are right, and how many are in the right place.
4. Use those clues to rule out combinations and make a better guess.
5. Keep going until the code is broken — then swap roles.

What it builds

• Deduction — using what is ruled out, not only what is confirmed
• Planning a guess that will teach you something, rather than a random one
• Memory across a round, holding earlier clues in mind
• Taking both roles, since setting a good code is its own skill

Three ways to play it

• Play with fewer colours to start, then add more
• Say your reasoning aloud so the other player hears how you narrowed it
• Count how many guesses you needed and try to beat it next round

The details

• Ages: 6–8 years