How to Play Clover Clues

Clover Clues is a free online cooperative word game for 3–6 players, inspired by the modern co-op clue-writing genre. Everyone writes clues for their own "clover" of words, then the whole group works together to rebuild each clover from those clues. There is one shared score, so you win or lose as a team. This guide covers every step, plus what makes a good clue.

What you need

• 3 to 6 players (4–5 is the sweet spot).
• One device each — phone, tablet, or laptop with any modern browser.
• No board, no cards, no app: it all runs at herdgamesonline.com/clover.
• A shared video call helps the discussion, but isn't required.

Setup

One player creates a room and shares the 4-letter code; everyone else joins. When the host starts, each player is privately dealt a clover of 4 keyword cards arranged in a ring. Between each pair of neighbouring cards sits a clue zone — so there are four zones, one for each adjacent pair.

Step 1 — Write your clues

Look at your four words. For each of the four zones, write a single-word clue that links the two neighbouring keywords. For example, if two neighbours are moon and coffee, a clue like "morning" or "crescent" might bridge them. Everyone writes their clues at the same time, so there's no waiting around.

Clue do's and don'ts

• One word only. Compound words, proper nouns, acronyms, numbers and onomatopoeia all count as one word.
• Don't use the keywords. You can't use either of the two words you're linking (or an obvious variant of them).
• Aim for the sweet spot. Too obvious and the decoy won't fool anyone; too obscure and your team can't rebuild it. A clue that "clicks" once you see both words is perfect.

Step 2 — The decoy

Once you lock in your clues, the game secretly adds a fifth decoy word to your four and shuffles all five. Your team will see five cards but only four leaves — part of the challenge is spotting which card doesn't belong. This is the twist that turns simple word-matching into a real party-game puzzle.

Step 3 — Rebuild each clover (together)

Now the team rebuilds the clovers one at a time. When it's your clover's turn, you stay completely silent — no hints, no reactions. Everyone else looks at your four clues and the five shuffled cards and discusses where each card should go, then places 4 of the 5 into the right leaves, leaving the decoy out. On our online version you just tap a word, then tap a leaf to place it.

Step 4 — Score as a team

When the team confirms a clover, it's revealed: you earn 1 point for each card in the correct leaf, plus a 2-point bonus if all four are right. Add up every player's clover for one shared score — see the full breakdown on our game page, then try to beat your team's record next time.

Tips for a higher score

• Think about the pair, not the single word. Your clue should only make sense for those two neighbours together.
• Talk it out. The whole game is the discussion — say why a card fits a clue before placing it.
• Use the decoy against itself. If a card matches none of the clues well, it's probably the decoy.
• Pair it with other group games like Say Anything or Guesstimate for a full game night.