Codenames

Twenty-five word cards lie in a five-by-five grid. Two teams each have a spymaster who holds a key card showing which words belong to each side and which single word is the assassin. Touch all of your words first and you win; touch the assassin and you lose on the spot. A spymaster's clue is one word and a number, such as "water: 3", and teammates point at cards one at a time. A correct pick lets them keep going; a wrong one ends the turn. The tension is in the clue: reach for three words and you risk pointing your friends at a rival's card. This is the party game we recommend most often, and most tables in the club already know it. It teaches in three minutes, plays in fifteen, and handles eight as well as four. If your group has only ever played UNO, start here.