1971 · Card Game

Sleuth

Players search for a single hidden gem chosen from a deck of 36 gem cards; the remaining gems are dealt to players and any excess are revealed face up so everyone starts with partial information. On a turn, a player selects one of four face-up search cards and asks an opponent how many gem cards of the indicated type they hold. Questions range from broad categories (pairs) to specific attributes (red diamonds); answers either state a count for everyone or, for specific asks, let the questioner privately inspect the matching cards. Players record all information on a score sheet, including negative inferences. At any time a player may guess the hidden gem; a correct guess wins, a wrong guess removes guessing rights but the player continues answering questions. The game emphasizes deduction from partial, sometimes numeric-only, information.

groupPlayers

3–7 best 4

schedulePlaying time

30–45 min

cakeAge

10+

psychologyComplexity

2.5 / 5