Game Overview

Sharpshooter is a social deduction game where players must identify a secret murderer within the group. One player takes on the role of the detective, while the rest try to evade detection throughout the game.

Number of Players

• 6 to 40 players
• Minimum Age: 12 years old

Game Setup

• Form a Circle: All players stand in a large circle.
• Choose the Detective: The group selects one player as the detective. This detective steps out of the circle, out of sight and hearing range.
• Select the Murderer: While the detective is away, the remaining players secretly choose one among them to be the murderer. They base this decision on a unanimous or simple majority vote.
• Detective Returns: The detective comes back and stands or sits in the center of the circle.

How to Play

• Discussion Phase: Players in the circle start a casual conversation. This phase aims to make the detective’s job harder by masking any unusual behavior.
• Murderer’s Action: The chosen murderer discreetly winks at other players in the circle. A player winked at must “die” dramatically and sit down or lie down within a few seconds of receiving the wink.
• Detective’s Task: The detective watches the interactions and tries to pinpoint the murderer. The detective gets three guesses to identify the murderer.
• End of Round: The round ends when the detective correctly identifies the murderer or after making three incorrect guesses. If the detective fails to identify the murderer in three guesses, the murderer wins the round.

Rules

• The murderer must wink discreetly. They should avoid obvious winks or drawing attention to themselves.
• Players who “die” should delay their actions slightly to avoid immediately giving away the murderer.
• The detective must vocalize their guesses and may discuss with the group but must ultimately decide alone.
• No player may reveal the murderer or provide direct hints.

Winning the Game

• Detective Wins: The detective wins if they correctly identify the murderer within three guesses.
• Murderer Wins: The murderer wins if the detective fails to identify them in three guesses.

Tips for Players

• Murderer: Be as subtle as possible with your winks. Use distractions and time delays to avoid detection.
• Detective: Keep a close eye on interactions, body language, and any unusual behaviors in the circle.
• Others: Engage in normal conversations to help disguise the murderer and increase the challenge for the detective.

Enjoy the game and have fun outwitting your friends in a thrilling round of Sharpshooter!