Duo Mode

How to Play ClueJam Duo

Play ClueJam — a free multiplayer word game online inspired by Codenames. Create rooms, give clues, guess words, dodge the assassin, and play in 37 languages.

ClueJam Duo is a cooperative 2-player mode where you and a partner work together against the board. Each player has a secret key showing different target words — take turns giving clues and guessing to find all 15 agents before running out of turns.

🎯 Overview

  • 2 players working together (cooperative — you both win or lose).
  • A 5×5 board with 25 word cards — the same grid size as Classic mode.
  • Each player sees a different secret key card revealing which words are agents, neutral, or assassins.
  • Agents alternate between giving clues and guessing.

🗝️ The Key Cards

  • Each player has their own key card showing 9 agent words they need their partner to guess.
  • 3 of these 9 agents overlap between both players — so there are 15 unique agents total (6 unique to each player + 3 shared).
  • Each key card also shows 3 assassin words. 1 assassin overlaps between both players — so there are 5 unique assassins total (2 unique to each player + 1 shared).
  • The remaining 5 words are neutral (bystanders). A word that's neutral for you could be an assassin or agent on your partner's card!
  • The 3 shared agents can be clued by either player — once any agent is found, it counts for both of you.

🔄 How Turns Work

  • Player A gives a one-word clue and a number, just like in Classic mode.
  • Player B guesses by tapping cards. Correct guesses reveal agents and allow continued guessing.
  • A wrong guess (neutral card) ends the turn and uses one mistake token.
  • Then Player B gives a clue, and Player A guesses. Keep alternating.
  • You can press "End Turn" at any time to stop guessing and save your lives.

🎟️ Turns & Lives

  • You share a pool of 9 turns total — each clue-giving phase uses one turn.
  • You also share 9 lives — each wrong guess costs one life.
  • If you run out of either turns or lives before finding all 15 agents, you lose.
  • Efficient multi-word clues are essential — 15 agents in 9 turns means you must average nearly 2 per clue.

💀 Assassins ☠️

  • Each key card has 3 assassin words. 1 assassin is shared between both players; the other 2 are unique to each player (5 total assassins). If either player guesses an assassin on the clue giver's key, you both instantly lose.
  • You can always see and avoid YOUR own assassins. The danger comes from your partner's 2 unique assassins that you can't see.
  • When giving clues, steer your partner away from words that are assassins on YOUR key card.

🏆 Winning & Losing

  • Find all 15 unique agents (9 per player minus 3 overlap) to win together!
  • You lose if either player guesses an assassin word — instant game over.
  • You also lose if you run out of turns or lives before finding all agents.

💡 Duo Strategy Tips

  • Give clues that connect 2–3 words whenever possible — you don't have enough turns for single-word clues.
  • Pay close attention to your partner's clues — they reveal information about the board that can help you on your guessing turn.
  • If unsure, end your turn early. Losing a mistake token is better than hitting an assassin.
  • Remember: your partner sees a DIFFERENT key card. What's safe for you might be deadly for them.
  • The 3 overlapping agents are the trickiest — both of you might try to clue the same word. Coordinate through your clue choices.