What happens if you guess the other team's word in Codenames?
Your turn ends right away, and the spymaster covers the card with the other team's color. It counts as one of their agents found, so you've helped them, and it can even win them the game.
The rule:
In Codenames, guessing the other team’s word ends your turn immediately, and the card is covered with their color. It counts as one of their agents found, so it helps them and can even win them the game.
Every guessed card gets covered with whatever color the key shows. There are three ways to guess wrong:
| You touch… | What happens |
|---|---|
| An innocent bystander | Your turn ends |
| The other team’s word | Your turn ends, and that word counts for them |
| The assassin | Your team loses immediately |
Because the other team’s words count no matter who uncovers them, a wrong guess can finish their set for them.
Example:
Blue has 1 word left to find. Red's operatives touch it by mistake. The spymaster covers it with a blue tile, blue has nothing left to find, and blue wins on red's turn.
Why players argue about it:
Some groups leave the card uncovered or treat it as a free miss. It's worse than a bystander: the other team gets the word.