Master word (pré-joué) (EN)

The games in the L'As des jeux Bazar are pre-played games. They have been inspected by one of our game experts and are certified "Complete." You may find some minor imperfections, such as light wear on the box or on certain game components.

The 90 seconds are ticking, markers are squeaking across the cards and the whole table is holding its breath: will your clue steer everyone the right way, or give away the secret word? Master Word is a cooperative game of deduction where the whole team wins or loses together. One player, the Guide, knows the word to find. The Seekers only get a starting hint and each writes a clue, then the Guide places tokens to show how many clues are on the right track... without ever saying which ones!

Round after round, you tighten the net with funnel logic: start wide (animal? place? person?), then narrow down with the number of tokens. When you think you've got the word, you write it on a Solution Card. But beware: write it on a Clue Card by mistake and everybody loses! A fast, clever and chatty word game, ideal as a party game for 3 to 6 players.

Master Word is for you if you love short games where you win together, lively debates and "oh, of course!" moments. You will probably enjoy this deduction game if you want something you can bring to the table in minutes and replay endlessly, with 300 challenges in the box. Note: the cards are in English, and only the Guide may check a word on the Internet.

Fun fact: the cards are numbered and the difficulty rises with the numbers. The first three are easier so you can get the hang of it, and your group can always jump to a tougher level. At the end of the game, your team even earns a rank: Eagle Eye, Bloodhound or Master Fox, depending on how fast you win.

Master Word is a game by Gérald Cattiaux, illustrated by NILS.

What you need to play: a 90-second timer (your phone works perfectly).

HOW TO PLAY MASTER WORD (RULES SUMMARY)
Goal: the whole team wins or loses together by finding the secret word, written on one of the 3 Solution Cards.
Setup: the Guide secretly reads the word on the card, announces the hint out loud and turns the holder so the Seekers can see it. Each Seeker takes 6 Clue Cards and 1 marker.
A round: the Guide starts the 90-second timer. The Seekers discuss out loud, then each writes one clue (a single idea related to the meaning of the word) and places it in the row.
The Guide's answer: the Guide reads the clues, asks for clarification if needed, then places all at once as many tokens at the end of the row as there are clues on the right track, without saying which ones.
Solutions: from the 2nd round on, a Seeker may write the word on a Solution Card instead of a clue. A wrong Solution Card counts as a normal clue.
End of the game: you win as soon as a Solution Card shows the secret word. You lose if all 3 Solution Cards are used without success, if the word is written on a Clue Card or if the 7th round ends without an answer.

What happens if the secret word is written on a Clue Card?
The Guide stops the game and everybody loses. To win, the word must be written on a Solution Card.

How many solutions can you propose?
Three at most during the game, one per Solution Card, starting from the 2nd round.

What is the Guide's Joker for?
Once per game, the Guide can move a token they have placed and put it directly ON the clue it refers to, giving the Seekers extra information.

BOX CONTENTS
150 Master Word Cards (300 challenges)
1 Card Holder
30 Clue Cards
3 Solution Cards
5 Markers
1 Cloth
1 Separator
24 Tokens
1 Rule Sheet

Number of players: 3 to 6
Duration: 15 minutes
Age: 12+