# Decrypto

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2018
- **BGG Rating**: 7.8
- **BGG Rank**: #116
- **Players**: 3-8 (Best with: 6)
- **Duration**: 15-45 min
- **Weight**: 1.83 / 5
- **Designers**: Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance
- **Artists**: Fabien Fulchiron, Manuel Sanchez, NILS
- **Publishers**: Scorpion Masqué, 2 Pionki, ADC Blackfire Entertainment, asmodee, Enigma (Bergsala Enigma), Fantasmagoria
- **Categories**: Deduction, Party Game, Spies / Secret Agents, Word Game
- **Mechanics**: Communication Limits, Paper-and-Pencil, Targeted Clues, Team-Based Game

## Verdict
If you love word games and team-based deduction, Decrypto is a must-play that brilliantly blends communication with clever interception. It's a fantastic party game that keeps everyone engaged and thinking.
Engaging team-based word deduction
Clever blend of offense and defense
High replayability with new words
Simple rules, surprising strategic depth
Best with larger player counts
Can be challenging for new players
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

## Description
In Decrypto, get ready for a battle of wits and communication played in teams! Two teams face off, each with the dual mission of deciphering secret messages from their own teammates while simultaneously intercepting the codes of the opposing team. The dynamic is simple, yet the strategic depth is surprising. Each team has a private screen where four secret words are hidden, visible only to members of their own team, keeping them secret from opponents.

At the start of each round, one team member receives a card with a sequence of three numbers, for example, 4-2-1. Their challenge is to create a coded clue using words that lead their teammates to guess this sequence, associating them with the team's four secret words. If the team guesses correctly, great! But if they fail, a 'miscommunication' (a black mark) is recorded. From the second round onwards, the tension escalates: the opposing team also tries to guess the numerical code based on the clues you provided. If they succeed, they earn a 'successful interception' (a white mark). If they fail, your team still has a chance to guess their own code to avoid a black mark. The game continues until a team accumulates two white marks (victory) or receives two black marks (defeat). If the match extends for eight rounds without a clear winner, victory goes to the team that can guess more of the opponents' secret words. It's a game of words, deduction, and lots of laughter, perfect for testing your ability to communicate ambiguously!

## How to Play
Objective of the Game
Welcome, codebreakers! In **Decrypto**, two teams of 2 to 4 players (or a 3-player variant with a lone Interceptor) face off in a thrilling battle of wits. Your ultimate goal is to prove yourselves the superior **codemasters** by successfully transmitting secret codes to your teammates while simultaneously intercepting the opposing team's communications. It's a delicate balance: your clues must be clear enough for your team to understand, but vague enough to confound your rivals.

Your team wins the game if you collect **2 Interception tokens**. Conversely, your team loses if you accumulate **2 Miscommunication tokens**. Get ready to dive into a world of clever wordplay and strategic deception!

Preparation (Setup)
Getting started with **Decrypto** is quick and easy. Here’s how to set up your game:


    First, divide yourselves into two teams as evenly as possible.
    Have all members of one team sit on one side of the table, and all members of the opposing team sit on the other side.
    Each team takes **1 Screen**. These screens will hide your secret **Keywords**.
    Next, each team draws **4 Keyword cards** and places them in the appropriate spaces on their **Screen**, making sure NOT to show them to the opposing team. These are your team's secret words for the entire game!
    Each team then takes the **Code Deck** that matches the color of their **Screen** (either black or white).
    Grab **1 Note Sheet** per team. This is where you’ll record your clues and track your opponents' clues. Choose a fun name for your team and write it down! Remember, the **Note Sheet** is double-sided, with colors matching the screens to help you keep track.
    Finally, place the **Sand Timer**, **Interception tokens** (white), and **Miscommunication tokens** (black) in the center of the table, accessible to both teams.


The Turn of Play
**Decrypto** unfolds over a series of rounds, typically 4 to 6. Each round, one player from each team steps up as the **Encryptor**. This role rotates among team members. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of each round:


    Draw Code Card: Both teams' **Encryptors** secretly draw one **Code card** from their team’s deck. This card shows a 3-digit code (e.g., 3.4.2) that the **Encryptor** must get their teammates to guess.
    Write Clues: Each **Encryptor** then uses their **Note Sheet** to write three clues, one for each digit of their code. The clue for the first digit goes on the top line, and so on. As soon as an **Encryptor** finishes writing their clues, they can flip the **Sand Timer**. The opposing **Encryptor** must finish writing their clues before time runs out!
    White Team's Clues Revealed: The White Team’s **Encryptor** reads their three clues aloud. They then hand their **Note Sheet** to their teammates. The Black Team also writes down these clues on the white side of their own **Note Sheet**.
    Discussion and Guessing: Both teams discuss the clues, trying to decipher the code. When a team thinks they have the answer, they write their guessed 3-digit code in the first column of their **Note Sheet** for the current round. Remember, the **Encryptor** who just gave the clues must remain silent and not react to their teammates' discussion!
    Black Team Attempts Interception: Once both teams have written their guesses, the Black Team announces the 3-digit code they believe the White Team is trying to transmit. (Important: Neither team attempts to intercept in the first round, as there are no previous clues to help them.)
    White Team Deciphers: The White Team then announces the 3-digit code they believe their own **Encryptor** sent.
    Reveal and Score: Finally, the White Team’s **Encryptor** reveals their **Code card**.
        
            If the Black Team's interception was **CORRECT** (they guessed the exact code), they receive an **Interception token**.
            If the White Team's deciphering was **INCORRECT** (they failed to guess their own code), they receive a **Miscommunication token**.
        
        Both teams record the correct code in the second column of their **Note Sheet** and also note the clues in the keyword sections at the bottom of the sheet, organizing them by the **Keyword** number they refer to.
    Reverse Teams and Repeat: Steps 3 through 7 are then repeated, but with the Black Team’s **Encryptor** reading their clues aloud, and the White Team attempting to intercept.


End of Game and Scoring
A round ends after both teams have revealed their codes and tokens have been awarded. Check for victory conditions:


    If a team has collected **2 Interception tokens**, they immediately win the game!
    If a team has collected **2 Miscommunication tokens**, they immediately lose the game!


If either of these conditions is met, the game ends. Otherwise, both teams return their **Code cards** to their decks, shuffle them, and choose new **Encryptors** for the next round.

Tiebreaker
In some rare cases, a tie might occur:

    If a team has 2 **Interception tokens** AND 2 **Miscommunication tokens** at the end of a round.
    If both teams collect their second **Interception token** in the same round.
    If both teams collect their second **Miscommunication token** in the same round.
    If neither team has won or lost by the end of the eighth round.

To determine the winner in a tie, count points: an **Interception token** is worth +1 point, and a **Miscommunication token** is worth -1 point. The team with the most points wins. If it's still a tie, each team tries to guess the opposing team’s four **Keywords**. The team with more correct guesses prevails. If there's still a tie, both teams share the victory!

Tips for Winning
To become a master **Decrypto** player, keep these strategies in mind:


    Be Clear, But Not Obvious: Your clues need to be understood by your team, but not by your opponents. Think about connections that are unique or personal to your team's shared knowledge, but still publicly available. For instance, "Odonata" for "Dragonfly" is a good example of a clue that might confuse opponents but be understood by a knowledgeable teammate.
    Build a Web of Clues: Remember that **Keywords** don't change. As the game progresses, you'll accumulate a list of clues for each of your **Keywords** on your **Note Sheet**. Use this to your advantage! If you used "Mexico" for "Sombrero" in round one, a later clue like "amigos" for "Sombrero" might be too obvious for your opponents to intercept. Try to vary your clues for the same **Keyword** over time to keep your opponents guessing, while still providing enough context for your team.
    Pay Attention to Opponents' Clues: Every clue your opponents give is a piece of information about *their* **Keywords**. Write them down diligently on your **Note Sheet**. Even if you don't intercept their code, understanding the connections they're making between their clues and their **Keywords** will give you a huge advantage in future rounds!

## FAQ
### How many players does Decrypto support?
Decrypto is ideal for larger groups, supporting 3 to 8 players. The more people, the more fun and chaotic the communication between teams becomes!

### What is the average playtime for a game of Decrypto?
A game of Decrypto is quite quick, usually lasting between 15 and 45 minutes. It's perfect for fitting into a game night or for several consecutive rounds.

### Is Decrypto a complex game or easy to learn?
Despite its clever premise, Decrypto is surprisingly easy to learn! The basic rules are simple, but the strategic depth of giving and interpreting clues is what makes it so engaging.

### What is the main objective in Decrypto?
The main objective is to be the first team to successfully intercept two codes from the opponents (two white marks) or cause the opposing team to make two communication errors (two black marks).

### Is Decrypto a good game for those who enjoy Codenames?
Absolutely! If you love the dynamic of giving and receiving one-word clues in Codenames, Decrypto elevates that experience with a touch of deduction and 'espionage' that makes it even more challenging and rewarding.

### What are the main components of the game?
The game comes with screens for each team, secret word cards, numeric code cards, scoring tokens (white and black), and a sand timer to manage clue-giving time.

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