Had a childhood dream of being a detective, which was not fulfilled? Nevertheless, here’s your chance to don a detective’s hat and catch the murderer! Plentifun, in this article, will tell you about the Clue Board Game, its rules, characters, and how to go about it.
Smart Tip!!
You have to be vigilant while playing this game. Use Sherlock Holmes’s ‘Science of Deduction’ theory. Even if it is not your turn to make a suggestion and you do not know which card was false, make mental notes of the ‘suggestions’ made by other players, and simply do not depend on the cards shown to you when you make a wrong ‘suggestion’. Perhaps, you may zero in on the correct answer.
If you fancy yourself as a detective and love solving a mystery, the Clue board game (known as ‘Cluedo’ in the U.K. version) is just for you! As the name suggests, you rack your brains and use the clues or hints given to you, for finding the murderer.
An excellent board game to play with family and friends, it will ensure that you have a thoroughly enjoyable time. Produced by Parker Brothers, this game can be played by 3 to 6 players and is suitable for ages 8 and above. Usually loved by all, playing it can be the perfect way to have some gala time after dinner, solving murder mysteries (along with a little exercise for your gray cells.)
Along the years, there have been changes to the game―a plethora of different adaptions of the game are available in the market. Its popularity can be judged by the number of versions and adaptations. However, here, we have mentioned the layout, rules, characters, weapons, and rooms of the original Clue board Game, which has still managed to remain popular.
Basic Layout
Mr. Boddy is found dead in his mansion!
You have 6 suspects―one of whom is the murderer―6 weapons, and 9 rooms in the mansion, each of them represented by a card.
Your job is simple―just find the correct answer to the below three questions, by guesswork and clues given to you.
Who is the criminal?
What is the weapon used?
Where has he been murdered?
The Suspects
Colonel Mustard – Yellow
Prof Plum – Purple
Miss Scarlet – Red
Mr. Green – Green
Mrs. Peacock – Blue
Mrs. White – White
1. These are the people found in the mansion, and are the suspected of murdering Mr.Boddy.
2. Each of the suspects have been represented by a color.
3. Each player will also be given a token of similar color―which represents one of these characters. As a rule, the player with the token of Miss Scarlet can start the game.
Characters
- Colonel Mustard : A dashing military man, who fears nothing!
- Prof Plum : He is a smart and brainy professor, but absent-minded!
- Miss Scarlet : She is the good-looking siren who dates men for their wealth. A former actress, she is dangerously seductive.
- Mr. Green : He is a businessman who is cunning enough to attract money to him.
- Mrs. Peacock : She is the widow of a wealthy man and has a high standard of living.
- Mrs. White : The maid who knows her duties very well.
Possible Crime Rooms
Kitchen
Ballroom
Conservatory
Dining Room
Lounge
Hall
Study
Billiard Room
Library
1. These are the rooms in the mansion where the murder has taken place and are represented by cards.
2. These rooms’ locations will be represented on the board. You have to use your token to move around the board.
3. The opposite rooms are connected by secret passages too, which the player may use if desired.
4. Else, the player can move through the rooms by rolling the die, and entering through the door.
Weapons
Knife
Revolver
Wrench
Candlestick
Lead Piping
Rope
1. Weapons are represented by both cards and miniatures―you have to place the miniatures on the board in any of the nine rooms of your choice.
2. Every time a suggestion is made, you have to move the miniature to that particular room.
How to Start?
- Each player has to take the token of that character, which is nearest to his seating place. Please note that, if there are less than 6 players, you have to place the tokens on their respective unoccupied places.
- Take one of the cards from each of the suspects, weapons, and room cards. Place them in the secret envelope. This is the answer to the game. If anyone cracks it, he is the winner!
- Mix all the cards and distribute them among the players, after shuffling.
Rules of Play
- Look at your cards―these are obviously not the answers, since they are not in the secret envelope. Use the detective notebook given to you to note down your findings.
- The first player (Miss Scarlet) will roll the die and move the token, followed by the player on her left. However, note that, you cannot move in any direction except diagonally, and you cannot enter any square that is occupied by any other player.
- Moving between rooms can either be done by rolling a die or using secret passages. Irrespective of the number on your die, you have to stay in the room once you enter it through the door. Please note, any opponent can block you in any room by blocking the door.
- Once you enter any room, you have to make a guess/suggestion and proclaim your suspects, but the room should be the one in which you are located. Place the tokens of the suspect and the weapon in the room.
- The player on the left, will verify your suspicion by checking whether any of the cards that you mentioned belong with him. If they do, he must show one card to you. Make a note of that card in your notebook; however, if he has more than one card, which you have mentioned, he is free to show only one among those, of his own choice.
- If the player on your left has none of the cards that you mentioned, the chance to prove you wrong, gets passed to the next player.
- In case none of the players prove you wrong, you can make an accusation or simply finish your turn.
- In case you make an accusation, check the cards in the secret envelope. If they match, you’re the WINNER! Show them to the other players. But if they do not match, place them back in the secret envelope.
- Once you make a wrong accusation, you cannot win, but you continue to be a part of the game―by disproving other players’ suspicions and suggestions. Also note that if you’re blocking any opponent in a room, you have to unblock him immediately.
- The game continues until the correct accusation is made.
Adaptions of the Original Game
- This game was loved by many―simple, yet challenging to the mind! Considering its popularity, the game had been adapted into a comedy crime movie named ‘Clue’, in 1985.
- Much to the delight of the fans, it has also been adapted into a television series named ‘Clue’, which premiered in 2011.
- It has also been adapted into a video game, Clue Card Game, and a book series.
There are various versions of the game available in the market other than the classic game mentioned above. According to the theme, the characters, weapons, and layout has changed/or the number of cards have increased. Here are some of the other available versions.
- Clue Junior Games for Children
- Dungeons and Dragons
- Harry Potter
- Master Detective
- The Disney Haunted Mansion
- The Simpsons
- Big Bang Theory
- Clue Carnival
New Clue Board Game 2013 Edition
Can be played with : 2 to 6 players
Back with the twist, 2 versions of the game – Mansion Game and Boardwalk Game
Features updated rooms, weapons and changed personalities of the characters. Clue sheet notepad, 6 character tokens, 6 weapon tokens, 27 black Clue cards, 3 red bonus cards, 2 dice and instructions.
This game is so dearly loved by kids and adults alike – with so many versions to add to the variety. To add a little bit of zing, you could dress up like the characters, and steal more fun! After all, a board game is such a wonderful way to spend those little lazy moments with your special ones!
