Everyone except the Imposter sees the same secret word, each player gives one clue, and the group votes out the player who is bluffing.
That is the whole game. CardYard runs every step on one phone: it picks the word and the Imposter, guides each private reveal, times the discussion and settles the final guess.
The setup screen takes 3 to 12 players. Names are optional; add them and the game calls each player by name during the handoff. Pick one of 5 free themes (General, Food, Movies and TV, Animals and Christmas, 388 words in all), then open Game modes to set the number of Imposters and turn on a hint or Undercover. The discussion timer starts at 3 minutes and can be turned off or paused; Premium adds lengths from 1 to 10 minutes.
Every mode is free, and Classic is where everyone starts.
With 3 players there is one Imposter and two crew members, so every clue counts and rounds take a couple of minutes. Crew members should start with subtle clues, because the Imposter only has to copy one other player. Turn on the hint if the Imposter keeps getting caught on the first clue.
This is the classic size: enough clues to compare, short enough to play many rounds. Keep one Imposter at 4 players. With 5 or 6 you can add a second Imposter, which makes the vote much harder because two players are bluffing at once.
Big groups can run up to 3 Imposters. Keep the discussion timer on so the clue round keeps moving, and try Undercover: with more players, the odd word out is harder to spot. If the group is larger than 12, split into two tables.
Pass-and-play needs one phone for 3 to 12 players: each player taps to see their role, hides it and passes the phone on, and the screen covers itself if someone switches apps. For friends in different places, open an online Room instead. Everyone joins with a code or link on their own phone, sees a private role, says their clue in the room or on a video call and votes on their own screen. Each Room round has one Imposter, ties go to a runoff vote, and points carry across rounds. Friends join free, and the host needs CardYard Premium.
Your job is to prove you know the word without handing it to the Imposter.
You do not know the word, so listen first and blend in.
The crew wins by voting out the Imposter and then stopping their final guess. The Imposter wins by surviving the vote, or by naming the secret word after being caught. Most groups play several rounds and keep score.
You need at least 3 players. CardYard supports 3 to 12 players on one phone, and the same range in an online Room.
No. The vote needs at least two crew members whose clues can be compared, so the game starts at 3 players.
In Classic and Hint mode, yes: the Imposter sees that they are the Imposter. In Undercover mode, no: they get a similar word from the same theme and think they are on the crew.
Most rounds take 3 to 5 minutes. The discussion timer starts at 3 minutes, and you can pause it or turn it off.
