Wink murder and werewolf run on the same idea: a hidden minority eliminates the other players, who must unmask them through discussion. You do not need a boxed game to play; all it takes is handing out roles in secret and making sure everyone knows how theirs works.
The wink murder variant suits small groups and dinner tables: the murderer strikes with a wink while the detective watches. The homemade werewolf variant needs a host and alternates between night and day, with roles that have special powers. Each role comes with its rules, which the player reads privately before handing the phone back.
For the host, three habits make a good game: write the roles on a hidden sheet, call the night roles in the same order and in the same tone every time, and keep each game under half an hour so eliminated players do not get bored.
How to use it
- Choose the variant, then decide how many murderers or werewolves to include: roughly one for every four players.
- The host spins the wheel for each player out of sight of the others, shows them their role and writes it down.
- If a role that is already filled comes up again (a second detective, one werewolf too many), spin again.
- Recap the shared rules aloud, without ever revealing who has which role, then start the game.
All the options
- Murderer
- You eliminate players by discreetly winking at them. You win if you eliminate everyone except the detective without being caught.
- Detective
- Your role is public: announce it. Watch everyone’s eyes. You get three accusations, and naming the murderer wins the game for your side.
- Accomplice
- The host secretly tells you who the murderer is. You cannot eliminate anyone, but you can steer suspicion elsewhere. You win with the murderer.
- Witness
- Once per game, you may whisper a name to the detective. If it is not the murderer, you are eliminated on the spot.
- Innocent bystander
- No power, just a mission: stay alert. If someone winks at you, count to five in silence before collapsing, so you do not give the murderer away.
- Bodyguard
- At the start, secretly tell the host one player to protect. The first wink that player receives has no effect; the host lets them know discreetly.
- Decoy
- You wink like a murderer, but your winks eliminate nobody. You win on your own if the detective accuses you.
- Reporter
- Once per game, whisper a yes-or-no question to the host (“Is the murderer sitting on my left?”). The host answers only to you.
- Lawyer
- Once per game, you may cancel one of the detective’s accusations against another player. The cancelled accusation does not use up one of the detective’s three tries.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play wink murder?
Hand out roles in secret: one murderer, one detective who reveals themselves, and innocent players. Everyone chats normally; the murderer strikes with a wink, and the victim waits a few seconds before “dying”. The detective has three accusations to find the murderer before nobody is left.
How many werewolves do you need for 10 players?
Two werewolves for ten players, or three if the group is experienced and you add protective roles such as the healer. Too many wolves and the village loses by the second night; too few and the game becomes simple guesswork.
How do you host a good game of werewolf?
Tap the table during the night to cover any sounds, and call roles in a fixed order with the same voice, even when the role you call has already been eliminated. Tell each morning’s news like a short story, and give eliminated players a job, such as helping you check that everyone keeps their eyes closed.
Can children play werewolf?
Yes, from about age 8, with a few tweaks: players are “sent to sleep” rather than killed, you keep four or five simple roles, and eliminated players become the host’s assistants so they stay involved. A twenty-minute game is plenty.