Clue Complete Guide: The Classic Mystery Board Game

Clue (known as Cluedo outside North America) is the world's most famous mystery board game — a game of deduction where players race to solve a murder by identifying the suspect, weapon, and room. For over 75 years, it has been the gold standard of mystery gaming, combining logical deduction with social bluffing.

Basic Rules

Equipment

• Game board depicting 9 rooms of a mansion
• 6 suspect tokens (colored pawns)
• 6 miniature weapons
• 21 cards: 6 suspects, 6 weapons, 9 rooms
• Detective notebook (detective notes pad)
• 2 dice

The Suspects

The Weapons

• Candlestick
• Knife (Dagger)
• Lead Pipe (Lead Piping)
• Revolver (Pistol)
• Rope
• Wrench (Spanner)

The Rooms

• Ballroom, Billiard Room, Conservatory, Dining Room, Hall, Kitchen, Library, Lounge, Study

Setup

1. Sort the cards into three piles: suspects, weapons, rooms
2. Take one card from each pile — place in the confidential envelope
3. Shuffle the remaining 18 cards and deal to all players
4. Each player chooses a suspect token and places it in the starting area
5. Place the weapons randomly in rooms

Objective

Be the first to correctly identify the murderer, weapon, and room by deduction.

Gameplay

Movement

1. Roll two dice on your turn
2. Move your token horizontally or vertically through the mansion
3. You may enter a room if you reach its door
4. You cannot pass through walls or other tokens blocking a hallway

Secret Passages

• Kitchen ↔ Study (corner to corner)
• Conservatory ↔ Lounge (corner to corner)
• Using a secret passage counts as your entire move — no dice needed

Making a Suggestion

When you enter a room, you may make a suggestion:

1. Name a suspect, weapon, and the room you're in
2. Move the named suspect and weapon to that room
3. The player to your left checks their cards:
   • If they have any card from your suggestion, they show you one (secretly)
   • If not, the next player checks, and so on
4. Mark what you learn in your detective notebook

Making an Accusation

When you think you know the answer, on your turn you may make an accusation:

1. Name the suspect, weapon, and room (you can accuse from anywhere)
2. Check the confidential envelope
3. If correct: you win!
4. If wrong: you are eliminated — you may not take further turns, but must still show cards when asked

Strategy

1. Process of Elimination

• Cross off every card you see and every card you hold
• If someone shows you a card, you know at least one of three is ruled out
• If nobody can show a card from your suggestion, those three are the answer

2. Smart Suggestions

• Always include at least one card you hold in your suggestion
• This limits information you give opponents — if you suggest a card you have, you already know it's not the answer
• This is called "feeding" yourself safe suggestions

3. Room Strategy

• Move efficiently between rooms — don't waste turns in hallways
• Use secret passages to cover distance quickly
• Try to visit rooms you haven't visited yet

4. Tracking Opponent Knowledge

• Pay attention to what others suggest — it reveals what they don't know
• If someone keeps suggesting "Professor Plum," they probably don't know if Plum is the answer
• Track who showed what to whom when possible

5. Accusation Timing

• Don't accuse until you're certain — a wrong accusation eliminates you
• It's better to wait one more turn than guess wrong
• If another player is about to win, you may need to guess to beat them

Variations

Clue Master Detective

• 12 suspects, 8 weapons, 10 rooms — more complex
• Additional "bonus" cards add intrigue
• For experienced players seeking more challenge

Clue Jr.

• Simplified for younger children (ages 5+)
• No murder — players solve "who ate the cake"
• Teaches basic deduction skills

Clue: The Classic Edition

• Reproduction of the original 1949 edition
• Retro artwork and components
• Same rules as the modern game

History

Origins

• Invented by Anthony E. Pratt in 1943 in England
• Pratt was a solicitor's clerk who enjoyed murder mystery parties
• Originally called "Murder!" then "Cluedo" (clue + ludo = play)
• First published by Waddingtons in 1949
• Released in America by Parker Brothers as "Clue" in 1949

Cultural Impact

• Inspired a 1985 comedy film starring Tim Curry
• Has been adapted into books, TV shows, and video games
• The characters (Colonel Mustard, Professor Plum) are cultural icons
• Available in over 40 countries and dozens of languages
• One of the best-selling board games of all time

Statistics

• Clue uses a board with 9 rooms, 6 suspects, and 6 weapons
• Designed for 3-6 players (best with 4-5)
• 21 cards total (6 suspects + 6 weapons + 9 rooms)
• 3 cards are hidden in the confidential envelope
• 4 secret passages connect corner rooms
• Over 75 years of history
• Sold in over 40 countries
• Available in dozens of languages
• A typical game lasts 30-60 minutes
• Suitable for ages 8 and up
• One of the best-selling mystery games of all time
• Combines deduction, bluffing, and movement strategy
• The 1985 film is a cult classic

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