Wink Murder Game: Rules, Secret Roles and Tips
Wink murder is a quiet sitting game of secrets and bluffing. One player is secretly the murderer and “kills” others by winking at them, while a detective tries to work out who it is before too many players are out. It needs no equipment except a way to hand out secret roles, and it works for parties, classrooms and family evenings. Here are the rules, how to choose the roles fairly and secretly, how likely a lucky guess is, and some variations.
How to play wink murder
- Everyone sits in a circle, facing inwards, so all players can see each other.
- Choose the detective, who can play openly, and secretly choose one murderer. Nobody except the murderer may know who it is.
- Everyone looks around the circle and makes eye contact. The murderer kills a player by winking at them without anyone else noticing.
- A player who is winked at waits a few seconds, so it is not obvious who winked, then “dies” with a dramatic fall or simply says “I’m dead” and leaves the circle.
- The detective may accuse a player at any time. If the guess is right, the detective wins. If it is wrong, or if the murderer kills everyone except the detective, the murderer wins.
How to choose the roles secretly
The murderer must stay secret, so you cannot simply draw a name on a screen everyone can see. Some simple fair methods:
- Playing cards: take one card for each player, with one ace for the murderer. Shuffle and deal face down; everyone looks at their own card and keeps it hidden.
- Paper slips: write “murderer” on one slip and leave the rest blank, fold them and let each player draw one from a hat.
- Eyes closed: everyone closes their eyes, and the game leader walks around the circle and taps one player on the head as the murderer.
- Numbers: give each player a number, and let the leader secretly use the Random Number Generator to pick the murderer’s number, then tap that player.
Choose the detective openly, for example by volunteers in turn, and let the detective leave the room while the murderer is chosen.
How likely is a lucky guess?
A detective who just guesses has a small chance, which is why watching closely matters. The table assumes one murderer and that every player except the detective is a suspect. Kids is the number of players, One the chance that a single random guess is right, Three the chance that one of three different guesses is right, and Five the chance that one particular child is the murderer at least once in five games.
| Kids | One | Three | Five |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 14% | 43% | 49% |
| 10 | 11% | 33% | 41% |
| 15 | 7% | 21% | 29% |
| 20 | 5% | 16% | 23% |
| 30 | 3% | 10% | 16% |
In a group of 20, a pure guess is right only about one time in 20, so the detective should watch eyes and wait. If you allow three guesses, it is still mostly about observation. And because each child has a small chance of being the murderer in any one game, some children wait a long time for the role; with the eyes-closed method, the leader can keep a list and tap a child who has not been the murderer yet.
Tips for playing well
- Murderer: wink quickly and only when nobody else is looking at you. Kill people across the circle, not your neighbours.
- Victims: count silently to three before you die, so the detective cannot follow your eyes back.
- Detective: watch faces rather than the dying players, and save your guesses.
- Everyone: keep looking around the circle. Looking down makes the game boring and too easy for the murderer.
Classroom version
Wink murder is a calm game for the end of a lesson or a wet break. The teacher chooses the roles by tapping heads while everyone has their eyes closed, and the game can run several short rounds in ten minutes. For young children who cannot wink yet, let the murderer stick out their tongue or blink twice instead.
Variations
- Two murderers: for groups of 15 or more, add a second murderer; they may not kill each other.
- No detective: anyone may accuse, but a wrong accusation puts the accuser out.
- Handshake murder: players walk around shaking hands, and the murderer kills with a secret scratch on the palm.
- Bigger game: for teenagers and adults who like hidden roles, try Mafia. For another quiet guessing game, try heads up, seven up.
FAQ
How do you play wink murder?
Players sit in a circle. One secret murderer kills others by winking at them, and a detective tries to spot the murderer. The detective wins with a correct guess, and the murderer wins by killing everyone else.
How do you choose the murderer in wink murder?
Secretly: deal playing cards face down with one ace as the murderer, draw paper slips from a hat, or have everyone close their eyes while the leader taps the murderer on the head.
How many players do you need for wink murder?
At least six, and it works well with a whole class. With 15 or more players you can add a second murderer.
How many guesses does the detective get?
Usually one to three. With one guess the game is tense; with three it is easier for younger children.
What if someone cannot wink?
Let the murderer stick out their tongue or blink twice quickly instead. The rest of the game stays the same.