Die Codeknacker
Die Codeknacker Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 1 game board consisting of 4 parts
- 1 master thief
- 4 detectives
- 27 code tiles
- 60 cards (28 cards with symbols, 28 cards with number codes, 3 safe cards, 1 detective card)
- 4 chips
- 1 hour-glass
- 1 die
- 1 set of game instructions
Aim of the game
Whoever catches Burt Burglar first, helped by their detective instincts and some luck with the dice, will win the game.
Preparation of the game
Assemble the four parts of the game board in the center of the table. On one side, the code tiles show symbols and numbers on the other. Insert them, with the symbol side facing up, in any order into the game board.
You need the deck of blue cards. Place it face down next to the game board so that everyone can see it clearly. Place the three safe cards on the other side of the game board.
Each player chooses a detective and takes the chip of the corresponding color. Place the detectives on the square with the torch (1). Burt Burglar is placed on the square showing him lurking from under the sewer's lid (2).
Get the dice and the hour-glass ready.
How to play
Play in a clockwise direction. The player wearing glasses starts and puts the detective card in front of them. If no player or various players wear glasses the youngest player starts and rolls the die.
What appears on the die?
- A number of dots? Move your detective the corresponding number of squares in a clockwise direction.
- A magnifying glass?
- In case of 2 players: move Burt Burglar two squares in a clockwise direction.
- In the case of 3 and 4 players: move Burt Burglar on a square in a clockwise direction.
- Search for the code: Only if on the die appears the magnifying glass, turn you over the hour-glass and uncover the card from the top of the pile. It should be seen clearly by everybody. Now you all play at once: on the game board look for the uncovered symbols of the code. The symbols can only appear in a straight line and, at least, the first three symbols of the code must be found.
Have you discovered the right code?
Place your chip on the first symbol of the code you have found.
Important: You can place your chip only once and may not move it anymore!
Then quickly snatch for the corresponding safe card.
- Have you detected the first three symbols of the code? Well done! Take the safe card with the number "3". The other players go on searching for the code with four or five symbols.
- Have you found the first four symbols of the code? Perfect! Take the safe card with the number "4". The other players go on searching for the code with 5 symbols.
- Have you cracked the code with 5 symbols? Excellent! Take the safe card with the number "5" and yell "stop!" The round is over immediately.
As soon as a player has placed their chip and snatched for the corresponding safe card, all the players quickly check that the marked code matches with the code searched for.
If this is not the case, the safe card has to be returned immediately next to the game board. The chip stays where it is and the corresponding player may not go on searching in this round.
The last grain of sand has slipped through the hour-glass?
Finally the search for the code ends. The player with the highest number on their safe card may move their detective the corresponding number of squares.
Example: If the safe card showing number "4" is the highest score, the corresponding detective may be moved 4 squares.
If nobody has found a code, all detectives stay where they are. In this round Burt has been too cunning for his persecutors and could increase his lead.
The players take their chips back again. The safe cards are placed next to the game board. The uncovered symbol card is taken off the game.
A new round starts. The detective card is passed on to the next player.
End of the game
The game ends as soon as a detective lands on the same square as Burt Burglar or passes him. This detective wins this tricky chase.
Variation for master detectives
Burt Burglar wants to make things even more difficult for his persecutors and has encoded his codes in a new way.
Insert the code tiles with the side showing the numbers facing up in the center area and, instead of the deck of cards with symbols, get ready the deck of red cards with number codes. The game is played according to the rules of the basic game.