3 Secrets: Crime Time Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Introduction and Goal of the Game
• Cooperative Mode
  • Setup
  • The Game
  • Give a Clue
  • Guessing a Secret
  • End of the Game
  • Difficulty Level
  • Playing Without the App
• Competitive Mode
  • Setup
  • The Game
  • End of the Game
  • Playing Without the App

Components

• A deck of 50 cards.
• These rules.

Additionally, you should download the free app (for iOS or Android), which will help you through the game. It is possible to play without the app, but the app is recommended. To download the app, search for "3 SECRETS" in the Apple AppStore™, or on Google Play™. Once you have downloaded it, you do not require an internet connection.

Introduction and Goal of the Game

3 Secrets – Crime Time may be played in two modes:

• The cooperative mode: all players play together on the same team.
• The competitive mode: players split into two teams who play for the victory.

Note: if you already know 3 Secrets, the cooperative mode stays the same.

The goal of the game is to unravel the three secrets of a mysterious character and their story, before the time runs out. One of the players plays the role of the Supercomputer HAL, who alone knows the truth about the story—the secrets that need to be discovered—and must try their best to help the others guess them correctly. The other players question HAL to gather useful information and guess the secrets.

The front of each card shows the main character of the story in a peculiar scene, where three elements have been highlighted. Each highlighted element is connected to one of the three secrets the detectives need to discover. The highlight color indicates the difficulty of the card: easy to hard.

Card layout (example, with some text blurred to avoid spoilers): the front shows the character's image with three highlighted elements that give clues to the three secrets, and the character's name. The back shows the story, followed by Clue #1 and Secret #1, Clue #2 and Secret #2, and Clue #3 and Secret #3.

Cooperative Mode

Setup

The rules that follow explain the game using the app. To play without the app, see "Playing Without the App" at the end of the rules.

1. Draw one card from the deck and put it face up on the table, taking care that no one sees the story and the secrets on the back. All players may inspect the image on the front. Put the rest of the cards back in the box as they will not be used this game.
2. Start the app, type in the name of the chosen character, then press the name.
3. Choose a player to play the Supercomputer HAL, who takes the card in hand so that all the other players can still see the image. HAL secretly reads the story, the clues, and the secrets on the back, without revealing anything to the others. When HAL is ready, press "play".

The Game

This mode is not played in turns. The players play together as a team—at the same time!

The detectives have a maximum time of 15 minutes. You have 5 minutes to correctly guess 1 secret. If you successfully guess a secret or once the 5 minutes run out, you then have another 5 minutes to guess the next secret, and so on. During this time, the detectives may inspect the image, consult each other, and ask HAL as many questions as they like.

HAL may only speak when asked a question, and can only answer in one of the four following ways:

• Yes
• No
• Not exactly (e.g., when the question is based on wrong assumptions)
• It is irrelevant (e.g., when the question leads astray)

Since HAL is on the same team as the detectives, they should always answer truthfully and at their best, and try to guide their teammates towards the secrets.

Give a Clue

On the back of the card, there are three clues, one for each of the three secrets.

Anytime during play, HAL may read one clue aloud to the other players, specifying which highlighted element of the image it refers to. If they decide to read a clue, they must first press the "magnifying glass" button (this will cut the time left in half!). Once the clue has been read, the magnifying glass button is no longer available until the time runs out or the detectives guess a secret. Take care to read the clue, not the secret itself!

Example: HAL presses the magnifying glass button and says: "I'll now read the clue relevant to the bridles. The bridles are very precious!" No more clues can be given until the time runs out or the detectives guess a secret—even one not related to the bridles.

Guessing a Secret

If the detectives guess one of the secrets (correctly, that is), HAL presses the "star" button. The timer starts over so the detectives can try to guess another secret. Secrets may be guessed in any order—you are not required to follow the order given on the back of the card.

If the time runs out before the detectives have correctly guessed one secret, HAL reads one secret of their choice out loud to the players, and time starts over for the next secret.

End of the Game

When all three secrets have been revealed (either by the detectives or by HAL), the game is over. Your score is based on how many secrets the detectives guessed correctly:

• 0 stars: The story is still shrouded in mystery: try again!
• 1 star: A light shone on some aspects, but there is much more to unravel.
• 2 stars: The mission was a success, but HAL will likely test you again soon.
• 3 stars: Great job, detectives! When you get back, HAL gives you lots of praise.

Difficulty Level

If 5 minutes to guess each secret seems too long or too short, you can change this value in the options menu of the app to match the difficulty level of your choice.

Also, if you want a more difficult game, you can limit HAL to only answering questions "Yes" or "No".

Playing Without the App

A regular clock or timer is needed. The normal rules apply, with the following changes:

• The detectives have a total of 10 minutes to guess all 3 secrets.
• Every 3 minutes, HAL can read 1 clue out loud.
• After 10 minutes of play, calculate your score as above.

Competitive Mode

Setup

The game is played as in the cooperative mode, with the following differences:

• Select the "Team vs. Team" mode from the app.
• One player plays HAL (they play with both teams), while the other players split into two teams, as evenly as possible. The two teams sit opposite, one to the left and one to the right of HAL. Both teams have a good look at the card chosen for the game.
• HAL presses the start button and randomly selects a team to start the game.

The Game

Teams alternate asking HAL questions. Members of the same team may freely consult about which question to ask. If a Team guesses a secret, it gets one star. In this case, HAL presses the button to the left or to the right, depending on the guessing Team. Then the game continues with the guessing Team getting to ask the next question.

If the time to guess a secret runs out, HAL reads aloud one secret of their choice.

HAL's goal is to have all three secrets guessed correctly.

If one Team is too slow in asking a question, or voluntarily stalls to get an advantage, HAL may warn them or even punish them by ending their turn immediately, and passing it to the other Team.

End of the Game

The game may end in two ways:

• A Team correctly guesses two secrets: that Team wins!
• The total time runs out: the winner is the Team with more stars.

If tied, just play another game with the same Teams!

Playing Without the App

A regular clock or timer is needed. The normal rules apply, with the following changes:

• The detectives have a total of 12 minutes to guess all 3 secrets.
• Each time a Team correctly guesses a secret, HAL notes a star for that Team.
• Every 3 minutes, HAL can read one clue out loud, as seen above.
• When a Team has collected 2 stars, or after 12 minutes of play, the game ends.

Note: this competitive mode may also be used with the game 3 Secrets.