In the new episode of Overboard, Alecna plays decrypto with Pierce

Just a few years ago, code name Took the board gaming universe by storm with its extremely simple clue-based gameplay. If your gaming group is looking for a new twist on the thread, DecryptoA genius combination of code cracking and misleading clues may be just the right fit. We played it in the video in the latest episode of Overboard with special guest Alana Pearce and had an absolute blast (and We Barely two brain cells have to be rubbed together).

Decrypto, like code name Before that, it’s all about giving clues to your teammates. A good clue should be accurate enough for them to know what the hell you’re talking about, but it’s also vague enough that the opposing team doesn’t crack the code instead. Here is how it is played.

At the beginning of the game, both teams are assigned four “keywords”. These never appear for the opposing team, so players need to be careful not to say them out loud, and instead refer to the number assigned to them. Then, one player from each team plays the role of “Encrypt” and comes up with clues for three of those four keywords. Once the clues are drawn, the rest of the players try to match them without the help of their encryptors. If they incorrectly match only one of these clues, their team obtains an incorrect token. Any team that receives two of these tokens loses the game.

Where the game becomes interesting is that these clues are public information. After the first round, both teams will have a chance to use this information to try to “intercept” the code of the other team. This is difficult at first, as there are only a few clues on the board. As the game progresses and clues accumulate, patterns can emerge. For example, if a red team’s keywords have clues of “boat,” “ocean,” and “sailor,” the blue team might possibly assume that the next sea clue they are looking at Too

For that keyword. If a team can manage to correctly identify all three clues during a blocking round, they receive a blocking token. It only takes two blocking tokens for a team to win the game!

What makes intercepting difficult is that the encrypting player may intentionally create misleading clues. So in the example above, maybe the clue “wave” is another maritime clue, or maybe the red team has the keyword “GREETING” and knows that a clue like “wave” would just confuse the blue team. Encrypters still have to be careful not to be too clever, or their own team may not understand the clue!

Decrypto Not as straightforward as code name, But the added complexity is rewarding. The clues can be much more open-ended (full sentences allowed), and the Encrypt role changes each round, so all players have a chance at the clues that make up the hot seat. For a more in-depth explanation of the rules check out our Let’s Play video and see how fun the game can be, even if you have two brain cells to rub together in a brain cell. We played Game Over Zoom, which worked OK, But not ideal. If possible we recommend playing super-stylish physical board games.

If you enjoy the video, be sure to check out all previous episodes overboard on our YouTube channel. We’ve played tons of excellent board games on show, and you can find many more excellent board game recommendations right here on Reporter Door!