Play Who's the Spy (Undercover) Online — Rules & Strategy

# undercover (who's the spy)-room

Game MasterWords assigned. Describe yours without saying it. Morgan, you go first.

MorganOkay... it's something you'd use every day. Fits in your pocket.

TaylorMine's more of a comfort thing. You reach for it without thinking.

SA

SamStrong presence. You either love it or hate it.

Game MasterTime to vote. Who's the undercover?

Play Undercover (Who's the Spy) free

What is Who's the Spy?

Born as a Chinese party game (谁是卧底) and popularized by TV shows, Who's the Spy is a word-guessing social deduction game for 4–10 players. Two similar but different words are distributed — for example, "coffee" and "hot chocolate." Most players (Civilians) get one word; the Undercover player gets the other. Nobody knows which word is which or who has what.

Each round, every player gives a one-sentence description of their word. Then everyone votes to eliminate the player they think is the spy. The Civilians win by voting out the Undercover; the Undercover wins by surviving until only two players remain.

Roles — Civilian, Undercover & Mr. White

A standard game includes up to three distinct roles:

Not every game includes Mr. White — it's an optional role that adds an extra layer of chaos. On TextGame.ai, the AI Game Master can include or exclude Mr. White based on your preference.

How to Play — Rules

1. 1

   Word Distribution

   The Game Master secretly assigns two similar words. Most players get the Civilian word; one or two get the Undercover word. Mr. White (if included) gets nothing.

2. 2

   Describe

   Going around the table, each player gives a brief, vague description of their word. You want to confirm allies without tipping off the spy.

3. 3

   Discuss & Vote

   After all descriptions, players discuss who sounded off. Everyone votes to eliminate one player. The eliminated player's role is revealed.

4. 4

   Repeat

   Surviving players describe again in the next round. Each round, descriptions should shift — repeating the same clue looks suspicious.

5. 5

   End

   Civilians win when the Undercover is eliminated. Undercover wins by surviving to the final two. Mr. White wins by guessing the Civilian word when voted out.

Description Strategy

As a Civilian

• Be vague but accurate. Describe a feature that fits your word but could also fit similar words. Don't be too specific or the Undercover will adapt.
• Use sensory details. Instead of naming the object, describe how it feels, looks, or is used.
• Listen before you speak. If you go later in the round, pay attention to what others say — their descriptions help you gauge who's on your team.
• Switch angles each round. Describe a different aspect of the word each time so the Undercover can't just parrot you.

As the Undercover

• Listen more than you talk. Let Civilians speak first when possible. Mirror their phrasing and confidence level.
• Stay in the middle. Descriptions that are too precise or too vague both draw suspicion.
• Accuse strategically. Point suspicion at a Civilian who gave an unusual description to divert attention from yourself.
• Adapt round by round. As more descriptions come in, adjust your mental model of the Civilian word and refine your cover.

Play Undercover Online on TextGame.ai

Undercover is perfect for parties, but gathering enough people can be tricky. On TextGame.ai, the AI makes it effortless:

Frequently Asked Questions