How to play: Clue the Party Game

We wanted to encourage our guests to mingle and get to know each other since we were mixing various social circles at our Clue themed party.

Guests were greeted with some "instructions" at the front door and an envelope with their "name" on it, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, etc.

 I staged the game and nametags in vintage suitcases from my grandmother. All the stacks of envelopes, name tags, markers, pens/pencils and solution folio all fit nicely inside.

Each envelope contained a name tag and a set of cards. Every character type had the same cards, so each Miss Scarlet knew the same facts, each Colonel Mustard knew different facts which meant to "win" you HAD to talk to at least one person of each character.

The welcome letter outlined the rules and gave an example:

The letter reads:

Welcome, 

Please create your character card (nametag). You can also choose to
join in a live game of Clue loosely modeled on the classic board game:
OBJECTIVE: Interview & share clues with other guests to help you
deduce who the killer is, where the murder occurred, and what weapon
was used. 

HOW TO PLAY:
Select an envelope of clues that matches your character. If your
character is more creative than one of the classic 6, you may play at any
one of the characters. 

Collect clues from different guests – each character should have the
same clues (i.e. every Miss Scarlet will have the same clues).
Approach a character & postulate a hypothesis of who, what
weapon, in what room. The character then shows you all the matching
clues they have in their hand. 

For examples:
< Colonel Mustard approaches Mrs. Peacock. >
Colonel: Mrs. Peacock, was it Mr. Green in the lounge with the
revolver? 

If Mrs. Peacock has cards for Mrs. White, the Lounge, and the
Revolver, she shows both the Lounge & Revolver cards.
Record the clues on your notepad until you’ve deduced the killer, the
weapon, and the room. 

When you believe you have solved the mystery, return here to check
your solution in the envelop labeled “Here’s what really happened” and
collect your prize.
Happy Sleuthing, Mr. Boddy 

I made cards like you'd have for a game of Clue.
I also made little tracking sheets for guests to keep tabs.

How did it work? Splendidly! It got people talking and gave people another reason to mingle, and an opener into conversation.

Photo courtesy of Kirill Buryak

Once someone thought they'd solved it, they could check the Folio marked "...but this is how it really happened," a reference to the movie's multiple endings, thank you very much.

Guests could then wear a Case Closed sticker, printed on the extra name tag pages, for bragging rights.