Edition: Classic Clue from Hasbro, called Cluedo outside North America, with 6 suspects, 6 weapons and 9 rooms. Last checked October 25, 2026
Clue Rules: How to Play Clue (Cluedo)
Clue, known as Cluedo in Denmark and the UK, is a detective game where you figure out who committed the murder, with which weapon and in which room. Here are the rules in short, and answers to the points that often spark debate.
- Players
- 3 to 6
- Age
- 8 and up
- Playing time
- 45 to 60 minutes
How to win: Be the first to correctly name who, with what and where, which are the three cards in the secret case file envelope.
Who is right?
The classic arguments at the table when you play Clue (Cluedo).
Do you have to be in the room to name it in a suggestion?
Yes.
A suggestion always names the room your pawn is in. You may choose the suspect and weapon freely.
Some families let younger kids suggest any room to speed up the game.
Can you make a suggestion if another player moved your pawn into a room?
Yes.
If another player's suggestion moved your pawn into a room, you may make a suggestion in that room on your next turn without rolling.
Some require you to always walk into the room yourself.
Can you name your own cards in a suggestion?
Yes.
You may name cards you hold yourself. It is a well known trick to throw the other players off.
No common house rule bans it, but some families agree not to when playing with young kids.
What happens if you make a wrong accusation?
You are out, but you still show cards.
You can no longer roll or accuse, but you must keep showing cards when others make suggestions. Your pawn stays on the board.
Some give a player who accuses wrong one more chance.
What you need
- Game board with 9 rooms
- 6 suspect pawns
- 6 weapons
- Suspect, weapon and room cards
- Case file envelope for the solution
- Detective notepad
- 2 dice
Setup
- 1Sort the cards into three piles: suspects, weapons and rooms. Shuffle each pile.
- 2Without looking, put one card from each pile into the envelope. That is the solution.
- 3Shuffle the rest of the cards together and deal them all out. Some players may get one more card than others.
- 4Put the pawns on their start spaces and the weapons in different rooms.
- 5Check off your own cards on your notepad, because they cannot be the solution.
- 6Under Hasbro's rules, the player who is Miss Scarlet goes first, and play moves clockwise.
How to play
- 1Roll the dice and move your pawn. You may move in any direction, but not diagonally and not through walls.
- 2You enter a room through a door. You do not need an exact roll to go in.
- 3From a corner room you can take the secret passage to the opposite corner room instead of rolling.
- 4When you are in a room, you may make a suggestion: a suspect, a weapon and the room you are in.
- 5Move the named suspect and weapon into that room.
- 6The player to your left must show you one of the named cards if they have one. If not, the question passes to the next player.
- 7Only you see the card. Once someone shows a card, the suggestion is over.
- 8If you think you know the answer, you can make an accusation and look in the envelope.
- 9If you are right, you win. If you are wrong, you are out of the game, but you must still show cards when others make suggestions.
House rules
Pick the rules you want to play with tonight. Everyone at the table has to agree.
Our Clue (Cluedo) rules for tonight
Everything else follows the official rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many people can play Clue?
Classic Clue is made for 3 to 6 players. Some newer editions include rules for 2 players.
Why is Mrs. White gone from Clue?
In the 2016 editions she was replaced by a new character, Dr. Orchid. Otherwise the game is the same.
Do you have to show every card if you have more than one of those named?
No. You show just one card, and you choose which.
Source: Hasbro's rulebook for the classic edition and common family tradition. The rules are written in our own words. Ask the referee if you are unsure.