198 word and picture cardsA Harry Potter word on one side, the matching picture on the other.
Codenames: Back to Hogwarts is the 2025 Harry Potter version of Codenames from Czech Games Edition, designed by Vlaada Chvátil, who also made the original. Two Houses race to find their cards in a grid of Harry Potter words or pictures, guided by one-word clues from their prefect. What is new: every House has its own ability, and an hourglass stand keeps score across many evenings.
Codenames: Back to HogwartsParty word game, 4 to 8 players
- 4 to 8 players
- 15 to 30 min
- Ages 10+
- Amazon.com
- Amazon.co.uk
- Amazon.de (German edition)
- We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. The price stays the same for you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
4 to 8+Players
10+Age
15Minutes
198Word and picture cards
Not the 2018 game
Codenames: Harry Potter from 2018 is a different game: cooperative, for two players, from another publisher. See the differences. In Germany this game is published by HeidelBÄR Games as "Codenames: Zurück nach Hogwarts".
What is in the box
72 map cards and a standThe secret maps that only the prefects see.
36 House tilesNine each for Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
6 locked doors, 1 Argus FilchTiles for the neutral cards and for the card that loses the game.
Sorting Hat tokenShows which House goes first.
4 ability cards, 8 herbology cardsThe House abilities, plus one-shot plant cards and tokens for them.
House Cup standFour hourglasses with tokens and banners to track wins over many games.
Setup for your first game
Play the first games without abilities, Gryffindor against Slytherin.
- Choose words or pictures and lay out 24 random cards in a 5 by 5 grid with the middle space empty.
- Split into two Houses of about equal size. Each House picks a prefect, who gives the clues. Everyone else is a first-year and guesses.
- Both prefects sit on the same side of the table, facing their teams.
- Put the red tiles in front of the Gryffindor prefect, the green ones in front of the Slytherin prefect, and the locked doors and Argus Filch between them.
- Check that everybody knows every card. Swap out a card nobody knows.
- The prefects put a random red and green map in the stand, so only they can see it.
- The colour around the edge of the map goes first and takes the Sorting Hat.
- The other House goes second and, to make up for it, puts one of its tiles on the empty centre space.
What hides in the grid
The map shows the prefects which card is which.
9 cardsfor the House that goes first
8 cardsfor the second House, plus its centre tile
6 doorsneutral cards
1 Filchtouch him and you lose
How a turn works
1 Clue
The prefect says one word and one number, for example "plants: 2". Nothing else.
2 Guess
The first-years talk it over. One of them touches a card. That touch counts.
3 Cover
The prefect covers the card with the right tile, without saying if it was the one they meant.
4 Again or stop
Right card? Guess again, up to the number plus one. At least one guess every turn.
The extra guess is there to catch cards you missed on earlier turns. You may also guess for an older clue, or simply guess at random.
Other House's cardYour turn ends, and they get the tile.
Locked doorYour turn ends.
Argus FilchThe game ends at once. Your House loses.
Clue rules
- Meaning only. No clues about letters ("H: 2") or positions ("corners: 4").
- No words from the table. When playing with words, you may not say a word that is visible on an uncovered card, or any form of it, even if that card is not yours.
- Pictures are easier. On the picture side you may name what a picture shows.
- Unlimited and zero. "Heart: unlimited" lets your team guess as long as it stays right. "Heart: 0" also allows unlimited guesses and means: avoid what has to do with hearts.
- Not sure? Whisper the clue to the other prefect. If they allow it, it counts.
- Illegal clue. It cannot be taken back. Usually it is just a warning. The strict rule: the turn ends and the other prefect covers one of their own cards.
- Optional: groups may allow names that mean one thing in the Wizarding World, such as Diagon Alley or Tom Riddle.
How to win
The first House with no cards left to find wins, even if the other team uncovered its last card by mistake. A House that touches Argus Filch loses straight away. There are no points within one game.
The eight House abilities
Once everyone knows the game, play House against House. A random map decides which Houses play and who goes first. Each House takes its ability card with the right side up: one ability for going first, another for going second.
GryffindorBrave
First: Alohomora. Before a clue, the prefect may announce Alohomora. If the team hits a locked door that turn, it counts as a Gryffindor card and they keep guessing. The key works once, with one more try if no door was hit.
Second: Determination. Every turn, the first locked door does not stop the team. A second door does.
SlytherinCunning
First: Salazar's Legacy. Twice per game, once per turn, mark a card you think is yours with a serpent instead of guessing it. If it is yours, you no longer need to find it.
Second: Cunning. During the other team's turn, challenge them to find all their cards for the clue. If they fail, you earn a token for a two-word clue later.
RavenclawClever
First: Connecting Facts. All Ravenclaw cards on the map form one connected group, touching by sides or corners.
Second: Advanced Deduction. When the fourth Ravenclaw tile is placed, the prefect marks it with how many of its eight neighbours are also Ravenclaw.
HufflepuffLoyal
First: Herbology Class. Three map spaces carry a plant symbol. When one is covered, the House that owns the card draws a herbology card.
Second: Greenhouse. The centre is a locked door, so Hufflepuff has 9 cards to find. Whenever one of its three marked cards is covered, it draws a herbology card.
Do not mix and match: never play a House that is not on your map, and never use the going-second side when the map says you go first. To play a particular pairing, search the deck for a matching map.
Herbology cards
Hufflepuff's eight one-shot cards stay face up until used. Four of them:
KnotgrassTouch two cards for one guess. Your prefect decides which one counts.
Dirigible PlumsName a number. Your prefect points to a row or column with exactly that many of your cards, or says there is none.
SilverweedKeep guessing when your turn would end. It cannot save you from Filch.
Venomous TentaculaIf your next guess hits the other House, your prefect also covers one of your cards and you go on.
The other four are Devil's Snare, Mandrake, Giant Pumpkin and Mimbulus Mimbletonia, each with its own one-time effect printed on the card.
The House Cup
- After every game, the winning House puts one hourglass token into its glass on the stand.
- A House with more points than all others hangs its banners on the stand until someone overtakes it.
- The school year ends when one hourglass is full. That House wins the House Cup.
- For a fair Cup, draw maps at random so every House gets the same chances. In the head-to-head variant, two fixed teams each adopt a House for the year.
Rules questions
Why are there only 24 cards with a hole in the middle?
The House that goes second starts with one tile in the centre to make up for going second. So both Houses place 9 tiles.
Do we have to guess for the current clue?
No. You may guess for any earlier clue or even at random, but you must make at least one guess per turn.
How many guesses do we get?
Up to the clue's number plus one, as long as every guess is right. With an unlimited or zero clue there is no limit.
Can the prefect explain or repeat the clue?
Only repeat it word for word when asked. The rulebook shows a prefect spelling a clue to rule out a word that sounds the same.
Are names like "Diagon Alley" allowed?
Only if your group agrees to the optional rule for names that mean one thing. Otherwise clues are one word.
The other House uncovered our last card. Who wins?
You do, at once, even though it happened on their turn.
Slytherin marked Argus Filch with a serpent. Do they lose?
No. Marking is not a guess and the prefect reveals nothing. The serpent is wasted, and touching Filch later still loses.
Can we choose our Houses?
Yes, by searching for a map with that pairing. The abilities must still match the map.
Can we play with two or three players?
Not officially. The box says 4 to 8 or more. For two players, Codenames: Duet or the 2018 Codenames: Harry Potter is the better buy.
Do I need to know Harry Potter well?
It helps with the words. The picture side works for players who know the films less well.
Codenames: Back to Hogwarts vs Codenames: Harry Potter
| Codenames: Back to Hogwarts | Codenames: Harry Potter | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2025 | 2018 |
| Publisher | Czech Games Edition | USAopoly (The Op) |
| Mode | Two Houses compete | Everyone plays together |
| Players | 4 to 8 or more | Made for 2, more possible |
| Goal | Find your House's cards first | Find 15 Order of the Phoenix members within the turn limit |
| Danger | Argus Filch | Death Eaters |
| In shops | Yes | Mostly second-hand |
The boxes look different too: Back to Hogwarts has a dark blue box with four students in House colours in front of the castle. The 2018 box is light grey with black silhouettes of Harry and Hermione.
Is it worth buying?
If your group already likes Codenames and loves Harry Potter, yes. The House abilities give every House a character, the picture side keeps non-fans in the game, and the House Cup turns single games into a running rivalry. Reviewers rate the production highly, from the thick tiles to the sturdy hourglass stand.
Good
- Every House plays differently
- Words or pictures on every card
- The House Cup creates rivalries over many evenings
- Quick to teach if you know Codenames
Not so good
- More tokens and special cases than classic Codenames
- Abilities can soften mistakes, so games feel less even
- Harry Potter words are harder for non-fans
- Quieter with only four players, no two-player mode
For a group new to Codenames, start without abilities. For six or more players it shines.
Codenames: Back to HogwartsParty word game, 4 to 8 players
- 4 to 8 players
- 15 to 30 min
- Ages 10+
- Amazon.com
- Amazon.co.uk
- Amazon.de (German edition)
- We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. The price stays the same for you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.