Insider rules: how to play and how to win

Insider quick rules

The goal

One player, the Master, knows a secret word that the others must find by asking questions. Hidden among them is the Insider, who already knows the word and helps the group without being noticed. The Master and the Commons win if they unmask the Insider; the Insider wins by staying hidden. If the word isn’t found in time, everyone loses.

Roles and the secret word

Each player secretly gets a role tile; the Master reveals themselves. With eyes closed, the Master discovers the word, then closes their eyes while the Insider opens theirs to see it. So the Master doesn’t know who the Insider is.

Questions

The Master turns over the sand timer: about five minutes. Everyone asks questions, in any order and as many as they like, and the Master only answers yes, no or I don’t know. The Insider slips in questions that point the way. As soon as someone says the right word, the search stops; if the sand runs out first, everyone loses.

Discussion

Once the word is found, the sand timer is turned over and everyone, the Master included, looks for the Insider until the sand runs out. Who asked questions that were a little too good? Who found the word?

The first vote

Everyone else votes on the player who found the word: are they the Insider? Then that player reveals their role. Insider accused by a majority: the Master and the Commons win. Insider not accused, or a Common wrongly accused: the Insider wins. A tie is not a majority.

The second vote

If it was a Common and the majority didn’t accuse them, everyone points at a suspect on the count of three. The most-voted player reveals their role: if it is the Insider, the Master and the Commons win; otherwise, the Insider wins. On a tie, whoever found the word decides.

Beginner traps

Commons, watch who is guiding you. Insider, don’t find the word too quickly yourself, but remember that an unfound word makes everyone lose. Master, answer without hesitating and without hints in your voice.

How to win Insider

Master and Commons win

They win together if the Insider is unmasked, on the first or the second vote.

Insider wins

The Insider wins alone if not unmasked, or if a Common is wrongly accused on the first vote.

Word not found

If the sand runs out before the word is found, everyone loses, the Insider included. In Ludingo, the game is recorded as a draw: nobody wins.

For the record

The Ludingo sheet keeps each player’s role and, if you like, how the game ended.

Example ending

With 6 players, Emma is the Master. Jake finds the word in 3 minutes. On the first vote, two of the five other players accuse him: no majority, and Jake reveals he is a Common. On the second vote, Alex, Mia and Emma point at Leo, who reveals the Insider tile: Emma, Jake, Alex, Mia and the sixth player win, Leo loses.

Common mistakes

• Thinking the Insider wins when the word isn’t found: everyone loses.
• Going to the second vote when the player who found the word was the Insider: the first vote decides on its own.
• Counting a tie as a majority on the first vote.
• Forgetting that the Master votes too.

How to set up Insider

Setup takes a minute. Only one thing matters: the Master and the Insider must be the only ones to see the word.