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CLUE

Three cards in an envelope, six suspects, six weapons, nine rooms. The original deduction game still teaches logic better than most.

FAMILYDEDUCTIONCLASSIC
7.0
♥♥♥♥♥
OUT OF 10
PLAYERS3-6 Players
PLAY TIME45-60 min
COMPLEXITYEASY
DESIGNERAnthony E. Pratt
YEAR1949
AGE8+
★ EDITORS' VERDICT

A genuinely good deduction game wrapped in a dated package. For modern alternatives, look at Mysterium or Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective — but Clue is still where most people learn what deduction feels like.

✓ WHAT WORKS

  • Real deductive logic — process of elimination actually works
  • Note-taking and hidden information create genuine tension
  • Plays well at 3 players (best player count, despite what the box says)
  • Universal recognition — easy to introduce to non-gamers

✗ WHERE IT STUMBLES

  • Two-player is broken — needs 3+ to function
  • Dice movement around rooms can stall games
  • Solo player can be eliminated from contention early
WHY IT MADE THE LIST

THE EDITORIAL

Clue (Cluedo outside North America) turned 75 in 2024 and remains the most-played deduction game on the planet.

The biggest skill gap between casual and competent players is note-taking. Competent players track WHO SHOWED WHICH CARD TO WHOM, even when they don't see the card. After three rounds of this, the solution narrows fast.

The 2016+ edition (and the modern 2019 reprint) replaces the original dice-movement with a card-based room-selection mechanic that the community broadly considers an upgrade.

FULL REVIEWREAD THE BREAKDOWN▶LEARN TO PLAYCLUE: THE NOTE-TAKING SYSTEM THAT WINS EVERY GAME▶
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WHERE TO PLAY

🛒 BUY ON AMAZON🎲 BOARDGAMEGEEK🌐 OFFICIAL SITE🎮 PLAY DIGITAL
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