How to Play Mastermind
- Objective: The goal is for you, the player, to guess a hidden color code set by the computer.
- Recommended Age: 7 and up.
- Setup:
- The computer selects a secret code made of colored pegs and places them in a row.
- You’ll use a board with a series of holes to place your guesses.
- Colors:
- The code is made up of 5 pegs, each selected from 8 available colors. Colors can repeat, so there might be more than one of the same color in the code!
- Making Guesses:
- Each turn, you place 5 colored pegs on the board to make a guess.
- After each guess, the computer will give you clues with small pegs:
- Black Peg: You’ve guessed a color that’s in the correct position.
- White Peg: You’ve guessed a correct color but in the wrong position.
- Transparent Peg: That color isn’t in the code at all.
- Turns:
- You have 8 tries to guess the exact code. With each guess and the clues provided, try to narrow down the color combination.
- Winning:
- You win if you guess the code with all colors in the correct order within the 8 tries. If you can’t, the computer wins!
- Strategy: Use logic and deduction to refine each guess based on the feedback. Think carefully about each clue and adjust your guesses to get closer to the hidden code!
Mastermind History
Mastermind has its roots in an old paper-and-pencil game known as “Bulls and Cows,” popular in England and Italy under names like “Numerello.” In 1970, Israeli postmaster and telecommunications expert Mordecai Meirowitz adapted this game to create the Mastermind we know today. After many toy companies rejected the idea, a small British company, Invicta Plastics Ltd., saw its potential and first produced it with colored pegs on a board. Later, Hasbro began distributing the game around the world.
Since its release, Mastermind has become a classic. Known for its unique mix of strategy and deduction, it has captivated over 50 million players worldwide. The game even drew the interest of mathematicians, like Donald Knuth, who in 1977 proved that any Mastermind code could be cracked in five moves or fewer using a mathematical approach.
Mastermind continues to challenge players of all ages, making it a beloved game that never goes out of style!