Clue is an exciting and suspenseful board game that can be enjoyed by two to six players.
Correctly determine the cards in the case file envelope to win this game!
Find the video tutorial and written explanation for how to play the board game clue below.
Clue Tutorial
Needed
Clue board game; two to six number of players
Game Contents:
1 Game Board, 30 Clue Cards, 1 Case File Envelope, 1 Pad of Detective Sheets, 2 Dice
6 Character Tokens - Professor Plum (purple), Miss Scarlett (red), Colonel Mustard (yellow), Mrs Peacock (blue), Mr Green (green), Dr. Orchid (pink)
(Note: characters may vary based on the Clue version)
6 Miniature Weapons - lead pipe, revolver, rope, candlestick, wrench, dagger
Setup
Place the Clue game board in the middle of all players.
Place each playing piece (colored pawn) on its corresponding spot on the board. Player pieces have a specific starting squares on the board (matching color).
Place the miniature weapons in different rooms. It does not matter which room the weapon tokens start in.
Separate the cards into their own category: suspect cards, weapon cards, and room cards.
Shuffle each stack, and secretly place the top card from each category into the case file envelope. Place the case file envelope on the center of the board.
Shuffle the remaining suspect, weapon, and room cards together. Deal these remaining cards out to all players. It is okay if some players have more clue cards than other players.
Objective
The object of the game is to be the first player to correctly guess the three clue cards that are in the case file envelope.
This is done by the process of elimination throughout the game play.
Each player will get a detective sheet from the detective pad. Players can mark off the cards in their own hand, as these cards are not going to be in the case file envelope.
Game Play
Miss Scarlett always goes first to start the game. On a turn, a player will roll two dice. The player can then move spaces up to the combined number rolled.
When a player reaches a room they can make a suggestion for the three cards in the middle.
For example, Colonel Mustard in the billiard room with the lead pipe.
When making a suggestion, the player will move the suggested suspect (character token) and miniature weapon to the room. The room the player is in is always the room that has to be suggested.
The player left of the suggesting player will secretly show the suggesting player one card that proves the suggestion wrong, if possible.
If the player left of someone making a suggestion cannot show a card to disprove the suggestion made, the next player to the left will secretly show a card to the suggesting player.
This continues until one card is secretly shown to the player that made the suggestion.
Winning
A player can make one final accusation during the game. A final accusation is made when a player believes they know the three hidden cards.
An accusation is made on a player’s turn after the player makes a suggestion.
After an accusation, the player will secretly check the three hidden cards from the case file envelope in the middle of the board.
If correct, the cards are shown, and the player wins the game.
If a player makes an accusation and is wrong, the player will return the hidden cards and does not get any more turns. The player will still show cards when needed.
When making an accusation, the player does not need to be in the room being named.
Rules
A suspect that is moved into a room after a suggestion stays in that room and does not return to the original position.
There are two secret passageways in the corner rooms. Players can move from the lounge to the conservatory and back, or the kitchen to the study and back.
A player cannot move diagonally, and cannot move through a space already occupied by another player.
Clue Variations
Clue has seen numerous variations and adaptations over the years, offering players a fresh take on the suspenseful world of deduction and intrigue.
From themed editions like "Clue: Harry Potter" and "Clue: Game of Thrones" that immerse players in their favorite fictional universes to spin-offs like "Clue: Master Detective" that expand the game board and add more complexity to the whodunit formula, there's a Clue variant for almost every interest and skill level.
Additionally, digital versions and mobile apps have brought new life to the game, making it accessible for a broader audience.
Whether you're solving a murder at Hogwarts or uncovering conspiracies in Westeros, these Clue board game variations add an exciting twist to the timeless classic while still challenging players' deductive skills.
DISCLAIMER: This page contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!