Wink Murder

Set up

Sit in a circle where everyone can see everyone else’s face. Choose one player to be the detective and send them out of the room. Ask the rest to close their eyes, then tap one player on the shoulder. That player is the murderer. Call the detective back to stand in the middle.

How to play

1. Everyone looks around the circle, making eye contact with each other.
2. The murderer “kills” a player by winking at them when the detective is not looking.
3. A player who is winked at counts silently to three, then dies. A dramatic death is encouraged.
4. The detective watches for the wink. They get three guesses to name the murderer.
5. The round ends when the detective guesses correctly, runs out of guesses, or only two players are left alive.
6. The murderer becomes the next detective.

The count of three matters. Without it, the detective just looks at whoever the victim was facing.

Ways to change it

• No detective: everybody is a suspect. A living player may say “I accuse”; if a second player seconds it, they point at their suspects on the count of three. If both point at the murderer, the round ends. If not, both accusers die.
• Mingling version: players walk around the room and shake hands. The murderer kills by scratching the palm of the victim, who dies five steps later.
• Two murderers: for groups over fifteen. They do not know each other.

Who it suits, and who it doesn’t

Wink Murder is a favorite with children from eight up and works well as a calm-down game at a party, because everyone has to sit still and watch. It needs at least six players so the murderer can hide. It is hard to play in dim light or with a group too large to see across. For teenagers and adults who want more scheming, move on to Mafia.