How to play Undercover: rules, the Blank and tips

The roles, a round step by step, the Blank's guess, and tips for every side, for 3 to 20 players.

Updated 15 October 2026

Undercover is a party game of secret words for 3 to 20 players. Almost everyone gets the same word. A few undercovers get a different word that is close to it, like coffee and tea. Nobody is told which word they have. Everyone describes their word in turn, and the table votes out whoever sounds off.

In GatherPlay's Undercover each phone holds its own word: press and hold the card to read it, let go to hide it. The shared screen shows whose turn it is to speak, who has voted, and who went out. Nobody needs paper, and nobody has to deal the words.

The goal

The civilians win when every undercover, and the Blank if there is one, is voted out. The undercovers win when they are as many as the civilians left. The Blank can also win alone by guessing the civilians' word.

The roles

• Civilians: most of the table. They share one word.
• Undercovers: they get the other word of the pair. They are not told they are undercover, so at first they think they are civilians too.
• The Blank (optional): one player with no word at all, and the only one who knows their role. The Blank listens and bluffs.
• How many undercovers and Blanks are in the game is public. By default GatherPlay deals 1 undercover for 3 to 5 players, 2 for 6 to 9, 3 for 10 to 14, and 4 for 15 or more.

A round, step by step

1. Everyone reads their word on their phone, without showing it.
2. In turn, each player still in describes their word out loud in a few words, without saying it. The Blank never speaks first.
3. The speaker taps Done and the next player goes.
4. When everyone has spoken, everyone still in votes on their phone for the player they suspect. You can change your vote until the vote closes.
5. The player with the most votes is out, and their role is shown.
6. On a tie, the tied players face a second vote, between them only. Another tie, or no votes at all, and nobody goes out this round.
7. Unless one side has won, a new round starts and everyone still in describes again.

The Blank's guess

If the Blank is voted out, they get one guess at the civilians' word, with 45 seconds to type it. The guess counts in English or Vietnamese, and ignores capitals and tone marks: "ca phe" counts as "cà phê". A right guess wins the game for the Blank alone. A wrong guess and the game goes on.

Tips for everyone

• Be vague enough that an undercover can't guess your word, and clear enough that the civilians know you share it.
• Listen for the description that fits the pair but not quite your word. That is your undercover, or a hint that you are one.
• If the other descriptions keep missing your word, you may be the undercover. Stay quiet about it and blend in.
• A short or strange description is not proof. Before you vote, ask yourself whether it could still fit your word.

Tips for the Blank

• You never speak first, so listen to the first speakers and borrow from them.
• Say something true of many words, like "I'd have it in the morning", rather than something precise.
• Keep guessing the word in your head all game: you may only have one chance to say it.

Playing apart

Start a Discord or Google Meet call and share the shared screen's browser tab, with its sound. Everyone reads their word on their own phone and describes it out loud on the call when their turn comes. Keep cameras on if you can: faces give a lot away while people describe.

Start a game

1. Open GatherPlay on the TV and host an Undercover game.
2. Everyone joins with the QR code on the screen.
3. Pick the number of undercovers, add a Blank if you like, set timers if you want them, and start.