Wavelength rules
Wavelength is a team game about guessing where a clue lands between two opposites. These are the classic team rules — the same ones the free online version on this site uses, so you can read them once and play right away.
Playing at a real table? You’ll need the Wavelength board game by CMYK Games. Playing remotely? Everything below happens automatically online.
Clue“Sauna”
Before you start
Form two teams of at least two players. Online, the teams are called Coral and Teal.
Pick a starting team at random. To balance going first, the other team begins the game with 1 point.
1. One clue from the psychic
On each turn, one member of the active team is the psychic. Only they can see where the target is hiding on the dial, between two opposites such as Cold ↔ Hot.
They say a single clue that should lead their team to that spot. With the target near Hot, “Sauna” is a good clue; a target slightly left of center might get “Room-temperature soup”.
2. The team moves the dial
The rest of the team talks it through and turns the dial to where they believe the target is. Anyone on the team may move it, and they lock it in together.
Meanwhile the psychic says nothing — no hints and no reactions.
3. The other team guesses left or right
The opposing team bets on whether the real target sits to the left or to the right of the locked dial.
4. Reveal and points
The target is five slices wide and worth 2-3-4-3-2. The active team earns the slice under the dial, or nothing if they missed. If the dial is on a line, take the higher number.
A correct left/right bet earns the other team 1 point — except when the active team hit the 4-point bullseye.
Catch-up turns
A team that scores 4 points while still behind goes again straight away, with a new psychic.
Winning the game
As soon as a team reaches 10 points, the game ends and the higher score wins.
A tie goes to sudden death: keep playing rounds until one team leads.
What makes a fair clue
One idea per clue — no stacking two hints with “and” or “but”.
No words from the card, and no numbers that point at a position.
Short is best. People, places, movies and characters are all allowed.
FAQ
- How do you play Wavelength without the board game?
- Play it online here: create a room, share the code, and everyone uses the dial on their own phone. The target is hidden and the score is kept for you. Play Wavelength Online is a free fan-made version.
- Can you play Wavelength with 2 or 3 people?
- The board game includes a cooperative variant for small groups. The online version here uses the team rules and needs at least four players; a small-group mode is planned.
- How many points do you need to win Wavelength?
- 10 points in the standard team game. Online, the host can also choose 5, 15 or 20.
- What happens if the dial lands between two slices?
- Score the higher of the two slices.
- Can the psychic talk after giving the clue?
- No. Once the clue is given, the psychic stays silent and keeps a straight face until the reveal.
Ready to play Wavelength online?
Free, in the browser, no sign-up. Share a 4-letter code and play.
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