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About Werewords
Werewords, from Ted Alspach and Bezier Games, crosses Twenty Questions with Werewolf. The Mayor secretly knows a magic word and can only answer yes-or-no questions with tokens. The werewolves also know the word and try to steer the questioning astray, while the Seer knows it and must help without being spotted. A companion app runs the night phase and the four-minute timer.
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Is Werewords Right for You?
Best for
Werewords is for groups who like word games and social deduction but find Werewolf too long or too mean. Games last minutes, nobody is eliminated, and the question-and-answer part works even for players who hate accusing people. We like it at six to eight, when there are enough questions flying and enough suspects.
Maybe skip it if…
It needs a phone or tablet running the app. Quiet players can get drowned out when everyone is shouting questions at once, and a werewolf who is new to the game can give themselves away very quickly. Groups who dislike word games should look elsewhere.
How to Play Werewords
Setup
Deal secret roles, pick a Mayor, and start the free app, which picks the word and wakes the roles who get to see it.
On Your Turn
- Players shout yes-or-no questions at the Mayor, who answers only with tokens: yes, no, maybe or so close.
- The villagers have four minutes to guess the word before the timer or the tokens run out.
- If the word is guessed, the werewolves get one chance to name the Seer; if not, everyone votes on who the werewolf is.
How to Win
Villagers win by guessing the word and hiding the Seer, or by finding a werewolf after failing. Werewolves win otherwise.
💡 Strategy Tips
If you are the Seer, ask a question or two that nudge the group, then go quiet. Guessing too well gets you found.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Asking only narrow questions. Start broad, with categories like living thing or object, before drilling down.
- Guessing too wildly. Every wrong guess costs a no token, and the game ends when the yes-or-no tokens run out.
- The Seer being too helpful. If the word is found, the werewolves only need to name the Seer to win.
- Forgetting the Mayor has a secret role too. The Mayor can be a werewolf or the Seer.
Advanced Strategy
- As a werewolf, ask plausible questions that lead somewhere wrong. Obviously bad questions give you away.
- As a villager, note who asked unhelpful questions. If the word is not found, that is who you vote for.
- As the Seer, ask one or two good questions at the right moment, then blend in with the crowd.
- Near the end, guess. A wrong guess costs a token, but running out of time costs the game.
Variants & House Rules
Werewords Deluxe
A bigger edition with extra roles and support for up to twenty players. The better buy for groups that play regularly.
Word difficulty
The app lets you choose how hard the magic word is, which makes it easy to pitch for children or for a sharp group.
Video Guides
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Our Verdict
Werewords is a clever cross between Twenty Questions and Werewolf, and the Seer twist gives even a successful round a nervous final few seconds. It keeps the suspicion of social deduction but drops the long rounds and the elimination. It is quick, easy to teach and good for playing five times in a row.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need the app?
Yes. It picks the word, runs the night phase and keeps the timer. It is free to download.
What if the Mayor is a werewolf?
They still have to answer the questions, but they will be as unhelpful as they can get away with. Watch the Mayor too.
How long does a game take?
About ten minutes including setup, so several rounds fit easily into an evening.