# Codenames: Word Board Game — Turn-based spy clue puzzles > Multiplayer word association deduction game based on a popular board game. (iPhone/iPad app by CGE Digital s.r.o..) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codenames-word-board-game/id1055650930 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [CGE Digital s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706267473) - Category: Games, Entertainment, Board, Puzzle - Price: $4.99 with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.70/5 from 1,150 App Store ratings · 444 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 9+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 221 MB - Languages: American English, Arabic, European Spanish, German (Germany), European Portuguese, French (France), Czech - Released: 2024-09-11 - Data updated: 2026-11-13 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codenames-word-board-game/id1055650930/reviews.md ## What is Codenames? The official Codenames puzzle game from the makers of the award-winning board game. Built on the same clever clue-giving, but made for mobile: nearly 50 rule-bending game modes, daily solo puzzles, themed word collections and a deep meta-game. One purchase. No ads. No timers, no pay-to-win. Optional Duet expansion for two-player co-op. NOT JUST THE BOARD GAME ON YOUR PHONE This is a standalone Codenames game with its own content and style. Where the board game is a party game, this one is a puzzle game: every clue is a small riddle you crack at your own pace, and every mode adds a new twist to think through. HOW IT WORKS A grid of words hides your team's secret agents. As Spymaster, you give a single clue that links as many of your words as you dare. As Operative, you work out what your teammate meant and make the guesses. One wrong word helps the other team, and the assassin ends the game instantly. NEARLY 50 TWISTS ON THE RULES Every mode keeps the core of Codenames and bends one rule, turning each game into a fresh puzzle: • Mines: Codenames meets Minesweeper. Numbers on the cards tell you how many agents are hiding nearby. • Mirrors: the Spymasters' grids are symmetrical. Find the axis and you can deduce cards you were never given a clue for. • Convertor: before giving a clue, the Spymaster can swap the colors of two cards to set up a better clue or sabotage the other team. • Quantum Gadget: torn between two words? Mark both and the gadget reveals which one is the better pick. Use it wisely, you only get three per mission. • …and dozens more. SOLO PUZZLES EVERY DAY • Daily Cases: 16 cards, one clue. Find the right words, collect your reward and move on to the next case. Every puzzle is made by real players, not an algorithm. • Daily Spymaster Challenge: everyone gets the same board. Come up with your best clue, then see how it performs when other players try to guess it, and how it ranks against every other Spymaster's clue. COLLECT, LEVEL UP, EXPLORE • Open briefcases to collect themed word cards: video games, movies, travel, sci-fi, fantasy, history, the 20th century and more • Play themed missions with the words you've collected • Earn experience and level up your agent to unlock more daily cases, better rewards and new options PLAY WITH OTHERS AT YOUR OWN PACE • Turn-based matches for 2–4 players: take your turn whenever you have a minute • Get matched with players from around the world, on iPhone, iPad and Android • Invite friends to a private game, or pass one phone around with Pass & Play • Run several games at once, chat with your team and draw notes right on the board PLAY IN YOUR LANGUAGE English, Czech, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic. FROM THE MAKERS OF THE ORIGINAL Codenames is designed by Vlaada Chvátil and published by Czech Games Edition. The board game won the Spiel des Jahres 2016. This app won Best Design at the Czech Game of the Year Awards and was selected as an App Store Editors' Choice. CODENAMES: DUET EXPANSION (in-app purchase) The cooperative two-player version, based on the green-box Duet board game: • Work together instead of competing: take turns giving clues and guessing • Each player knows only some of the agents, and the same card can look different to each of them: a card one player sees as the assassin may be an agent the other player needs to contact • 28 VIP missions adapted from the original Duet, now for cooperative play • Dual Cases: probably the hardest puzzle in Codenames yet. First find the cards that connect to both clues, then the words that fit only one ## Key features - Turn-based multiplayer - One-word clue system - Teamwork and deduction - Multiple game modes - Spymaster and Operative roles - Logic and creativity challenges ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: $4.99. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Krycí jména: Duet | $4.99 | one-time | ## Chart rankings - #169 in Top Paid · Games (US App Store) - #15 in Top Paid · Board (US App Store) - #20 in Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store) ## What do users think of Codenames? Reviews of Codenames are mostly positive: the game is rated 4.7/5 from 1.2K App Store ratings. What users like most: smooth and intuitive gameplay, excellent visual design. Top complaints: long wait times for other players, connectivity issues and server problems. Summarized from real user reviews. **Pros** - 🚀 Smooth and intuitive gameplay - 🎨 Excellent visual design - 💰 Good value for money - 🕹️ Engaging single-player modes - 🤝 Enjoyable multiplayer experience - 🔓 No microtransactions or ads **Cons** - ⏱️ Long wait times for other players - 🌐 Connectivity issues and server problems - 🌍 Cultural differences and language barriers - 🔒 Restrictive clue-giving rules - 🤖 Jury system allowing questionable words **Commonly reported bugs** - Initial launch with only Czech language support - Occasional app crashes and server disconnections **Most requested features** - Add Codenames Duet mode - Implement AI/bot players for faster games - Allow custom word packs and themes - Add a 'speed mode' for faster gameplay - Improve the jury system to maintain game integrity ## Is Codenames safe? Codenames: Word Board Game appears safe based on user ratings. The AppsHunter Safety Score for Codenames is 94 out of 100. This assessment is based on 1,150 user ratings, with an App Store average of 4.7 out of 5. Of 1,150 App Store ratings, 93.6% point to a safe experience, 2.5% suggest some concerns, and 3.9% point to a risky experience. ## Is Codenames legit? Codenames: Word Board Game appears to be a legitimate app. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Codenames is 100 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Recent user reviews (10 of 444) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codenames-word-board-game/id1055650930/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Amazing Game, Decent App *2026-11-09, version 2.6.4702* I don’t mind paying a few bucks for a game if it means there aren’t any ads. This app layout is well designed, with plenty of fun goals/rewards to chase. Really the only problem is how long you have to wait for opponents to play back. I’d like to see them add some sort of game mode where you have to stay “live” or add some sort XP/incentive for players who play back fast. Overall it’s a great game with a decent app adaptation, but I hate waiting for others. I have 30+ games going at once and still I’m left with hours in between making moves. It makes it very hard to strategize and leads to a lot of words being repeated. ### 1/5 — Do not recommend *2026-11-01* If you want to play Codenames:Duet — this is a paid dlc which you should buy inside the game, which costs more than original game. Solo queue extremely weird: there is a limit of 24h on a turn. So the game could run anywhere from 5 minutes to 3 days. No way to play solo queue with more comprehensible time limits. A lot of trashy achievements, cutscenes, solo puzzles and other attention traps, which you don’t need to have in such an extremely simple board game. ### 1/5 — Waste of money *2026-10-13, version 2.6.4702* Well that was a waste of money. I can’t tell if I’m playing against humans or bots. And there’s no timer for the games so I’m forever waiting on the opponent team to make a move and the game never progresses or finishes. **Developer response:** Dear player, We are really sorry to hear that the game didn't meet your expectations. To clear things up, there are no bots in Codenames—you are always playing with real people or your friends. The game is designed to be asynchronous, meaning each player has up to 4 days to make their move. Some players take their time, while others play faster. Many people jump into the game 2–3 times a day—while riding the bus, during a break between meetings or classes, during commercial breaks on TV or at night when the kids are finally asleep and they get a quiet moment for themselves. Some play for hours in one sitting, others in small bits throughout the day. That’s the beauty of its flexibility and freedom! To get the absolute most out of the app, we recommend: Playing more than 5 games simultaneously so you always have an active turn waiting for you. Trying the Daily Challenges, which are great for honing both your giving and guessing skills. Creating exciting clues—giving a clue for 5 cards is much more engaging and inviting for your team than a clue for just 2! Long story short, we would be thrilled if you gave the game another try with these tips in mind. We wish you many enjoyable hours developing your secret agent career! Best regards, Your CGE Team ### 4/5 — Duet *2026-10-11, version 2.6.4702* So happy Duet is here! While this doesn’t hurt the star rating I have to admit I didn’t realize was going to have to pay for it as I understood once bought the app got everything… but it’s not a micro transaction or anything and worth the price! My main complaint is the achievements in Duet when playing with friends. I bought this game and especially duet to play with friends, not strangers. But because of that I can’t get most of the Duet Achievements… I realize this is probably because clues aren’t checked and you can chat so lots of ways to cheat … which once I wasn’t receiving achievements I got more liberal with! But I wish you could toggle that on and off each time you play … decide if want chat and more liberal clues but not achievement progress… or if you want that stuff like a stranger game and can work on achievements. That’s what I’m missing the most since I would much rather play with friends than strangers but it would be fun to be able to work towards achievements. ### 5/5 — Worth the money! *2026-10-02, version 2.6.4579* Developers are funny with updates, and have created a genuine and fun game. I very rarely get hooked to a game, and i can see my self playing this and improving my brain! ### 1/5 — Not accessible with screen reader *2026-09-21, version 2.6.4579* I couldn't even get past the initial screen I see buttons on there with low vision but the screen reader rates absolutely nothing at all even on the initial screen great so disappointing because board games are otherwise easier with vision issues. And I have played this game on zoom with SIGHTD friends reading stuff so the gameplay is definitely accessible but yeah very very disappointing ### 4/5 — Great Game…But There Needs To Be Fixes *2026-08-24, version 2.6.4579* I just started playing this game a couple of days ago, and I love it! I really like the adaptation of the board game and the additions of side games and achievements. It makes for a captivating game that you can spend a long time on. However, there is one issue that I have with this game which is the long wait times for a lot of the games. I mean some take hours to days to play. I know that the developers encourage to keep multiple games open so that you can play more, but I don’t that enjoy a whole lot. The reason why is that most of the games end up stalling near the last move and it clogs up the inbox. I would rather have games where I could complete all the way through with one play-through. So if there is a way to optimize the experience that would be great. With all that I said, I do recommend this game if you are a fan of the board game since it is really fun to play! Just be aware of waiting for a while for some games. **Developer response:** Hi there, Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear that you are enjoying the app as much as the original board game, along with all the additional features and achievements we've built into it. As you mentioned, we do encourage players to have multiple games running at once, but we completely understand that this playstyle might not suit everyone. The app is intentionally designed this way to offer flexibility: a huge portion of our players love being able to step away to put their kids to bed, cook a meal, or take a break during work or school without any pressure. If you prefer continuous, uninterrupted gameplay with just one match, we recommend building up a list of in-game friends and scheduling a specific time to jump into Friendly Missions together. Another great way to fill any downtime and sharpen your clue-giving skills is with the Daily Challenges. Also, we have some exciting news: very soon, we'll be releasing the Duet expansion! Since it is designed specifically for just two players, your wait times should be cut in half, and we are confident you are going to love it. Thanks again for your recommendation and support. We wish you many more fun hours building your secret agent career! Best regards, Your CGE Team ### 4/5 — Fantastic! *2026-08-23, version 2.6.4579* Really enjoy this game! Lots of opportunities for different words and challenges. My only real issue is the verdicts. So many non-words get approved simply because “ish” or “like” are added as suffixes to real words. Like cubed > cubedish and webbing > webbinglike. In most cases, the actual English words are a fine clue. Cubedish doesn’t add much to the word cubed and you could use webbed or webbing instead of webbinglike. It’s a cheap way to add a potential modifier to a word. For example you can’t say “not x” or “non x” as a false prefix for something it’s not. Why do people have such a hard time just sticking to the rules and English in these games? ### 3/5 — Brilliant adaptation but read the reviews first! *2026-08-22, version 2.6.4579* It’s a great adaptation of the party game BUT, I wish I had dug into the reviews before buying. There is some limited offline content but it is - as the devs say repeatedly in their responses here - primarily an asynchronous multiplayer game where your opponents will step away for apparently hours (days?) at a time If you’re looking for a faithful adaptation to just fire it up and play a quick game this is not that ### 5/5 — Love this game *2026-08-22, version 2.6.4579* We often play the board game Codenames with our friends. This is a great alternative when you don’t have 4 people. We play games when we camp. The board game doesn’t work in wind, but the electronic version is a great alternative. ## Frequently asked questions about Codenames ### What is Codenames? Codenames is a digital adaptation of the popular board game. It's a word game focused on deduction, teamwork, and strategy where players give one-word clues to help their teammates guess associated words. ### How do you play Codenames? Players are divided into two teams. One player on each team, the Spymaster, gives one-word clues that relate to multiple words on the board. Their teammates, the Operatives, must guess the correct words based on the clues, avoiding words associated with the opposing team or the assassin. ### Is Codenames free to play? No, Codenames is a one-time purchase. This model provides the full experience without any in-app purchases or intrusive ads, allowing for uninterrupted gameplay. ### What platforms is Codenames available on? The description implies it is a mobile application, suggesting availability on iOS and Android devices. It is designed for players who enjoy thinking games and wordplay. ### Can I play Codenames with friends? Yes, Codenames features turn-based multiplayer, allowing you to play with friends or other online opponents. You can start multiple games at once and play at your own pace. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.6.4704 — 2026-11-11 Some minor tweaks ### 2.6.4702 — 2026-10-09 minor fix - displaying duet price on pop-up ### 2.6.4700 — 2026-10-08 Codenames: Duet expansion released ### 2.6.4579 — 2026-08-05 New fonts ### 2.5.4569 — 2026-07-27 - fixed display of word categories in friendly games - fixed display of drawing layer and buttons - fixed "That's What I Meant" button - improved view of friends offices ## Apps similar to Codenames | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Dune: Imperium](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dune-imperium/id1575414319) | 4.9 (5,053) | $6.99 | Games | | [Cascadia Digital](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cascadia-digital/id6449233571) | 4.9 (1,171) | $9.99 | Games | | [Ark Nova](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549) | 4.8 (1,300) | $10.99 | Games | | [CleverWords: Team Word Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cleverwords-team-word-game/id1464627686) | 4.7 (1,144) | Free | Games | | [Ticket to Ride®](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ticket-to-ride/id6463616555) | 4.6 (11,894) | $4.99 | Games | | [Clank!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clank/id1580629864) | 4.8 (1,546) | $10.99 | Games | ## More apps by CGE Digital s.r.o. - [Galaxy Trucker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-trucker/id904013027) - [Alchemists: Lab Equipment](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alchemists-lab-equipment/id921595239) - [Galaxy Trucker Pocket](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-trucker-pocket/id947402822) - [Through the Ages](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/through-the-ages/id966245474) - [CODENAMES companion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codenames-companion/id1032754439) All apps by CGE Digital s.r.o.: https://appshunter.io/developer/1706267473 ## Related topics [codenames game](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/codenames-game) · [codenames duet](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/codenames-duet) · [code names](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/code-names) · [action codenames](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/action-codenames) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-11-13.*