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
- Werewolf
- Each night, open your eyes with the other wolves and silently agree on a victim, then point them out to the host. By day, pass yourself off as a villager. The wolves win as soon as they match the remaining players in number.
- Villager
- No power at night, but a voice by day: debate, accuse and vote to eliminate the player you suspect. Villagers win once every wolf is out.
- Seer
- Each night, point to one player: the host silently shows you their role. Share what you learn carefully, because the wolves will want you gone.
- Healer
- Each night, choose one player to protect, yourself included. If the wolves target them, they survive. You may not protect the same player two nights running.
- Hunter
- When you are eliminated, by night or by day, you immediately name another player, who is eliminated with you.
- Witch
- You have two potions for the whole game: one saves the night’s victim, the other eliminates a player of your choice. The host wakes you after the wolves.
- Mayor
- Reveal your role on the first morning. Your vote counts double; if you are eliminated, you name your successor.
- Traitor
- You win with the wolves, but you do not wake with them and do not know who they are. Sow doubt in the debates without getting caught.
- Tracker
- Each night, point to one player. In the morning, the host signals whether that player opened their eyes during the night.
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.