Cryptid

Overview

Players are cryptozoologists racing to be the first to discover the habitat of a cryptid in the wilds of North America. Each player holds a unique clue – one piece of information about where the creature lives. The clues, when combined, identify exactly one space on the map as the creature’s habitat. Players take turns questioning each other and searching spaces, trying to deduce everyone else’s clues without revealing too much of their own. The first player to correctly search the one space that satisfies all clues wins.

Components

• 6 numbered map tiles (each divided into hexagonal spaces with five terrain types: desert, forest, water, mountain, swamp)
• 4 standing stones (octagon-shaped, in white, green, blue, and black)
• 4 abandoned shacks (triangle-shaped, in white, green, blue, and black)
• 1 pawn (used to indicate questioned/searched spaces)
• 5 sets of player tokens, each set in a matching colour:
  • Cubes (indicate “this space could NOT be the habitat according to my clue”)
  • Discs (indicate “this space COULD be the habitat according to my clue”)
• 5 clue books (one per player)
• 54 cards (clear-bordered cards for normal mode, black-bordered cards for advanced mode)

Setup

Choose Game Mode

Cryptid can be played in normal or advanced mode.

Normal mode: Recommended for new players and younger players. All clues are positive (“the habitat IS here”). Only 3 of each structure type are placed on the board.

Advanced mode has two differences from normal:

1. Players may receive negative clues – some clues include the phrase “the habitat is NOT here.”
2. All 4 structures of each type are placed on the board instead of 3.

Board Setup

Choose a starting player (the rulebook suggests whoever sets up the map).

Using the companion app (www.playcryptid.com): Follow the app’s instructions for map layout, structure placement, and clue assignment. Once setup is complete, the device is not needed during play unless a player needs to recheck their clue or the group requests a hint.

Using the cards and clue books:

1. Choose normal or advanced mode.
2. Shuffle the cards of the chosen type and draw 1 card.
3. The front of the card shows:
   • The order and rotation of the 6 map tiles (numbers in left/right columns indicate which tile goes where; dots in each corner indicate rotation – match the dot to the highlighted space containing the tile number)
   • The spaces on which to place the structures
4. Assemble the map and place structures accordingly. Double-check the setup.
5. Flip the card over. The reverse shows clue assignments:
   • Check the leftmost column for the correct player count (3, 4, or 5)
   • Each player, in turn order, takes one of the clue books matching the column numbers in that row
   • The number corresponds to a specific clue in that clue book
6. Keep your clue hidden from other players.

Give Each Player Their Pieces

Each player receives one complete set of cubes and discs in their colour.

Initial Sharing

Before regular turns begin, all players must place cubes:

1. The starting player places 1 cube on any space that could not be the habitat according to their clue.
2. The player to their left does the same, continuing clockwise.
3. This continues until every player has placed exactly 2 cubes.

Placement restrictions during initial sharing:

• You may place a piece on a space containing a structure.
• You cannot place a piece on a space containing another player’s cube.

The starting player then takes the first turn.

Turn Structure

On your turn, you must do exactly one of the following:

1. Question another player about a space, OR
2. Search a space

After your action is resolved, the turn passes to the player on your left – unless you successfully identified the habitat by searching, in which case you win.

Actions

Questioning

1. Place the pawn on any space on the map (even one you know could not be the habitat – this is a valid deception strategy).
2. Choose any one other player and ask: “Could the creature be here?”
3. The questioned player must answer honestly based on their clue:
   • If the space could be the habitat according to their clue, they place one of their discs on that space.
   • If the space could not be the habitat according to their clue, they place one of their cubes on that space.
4. If the questioned player placed a cube: You must immediately place one of your own cubes on a different space that could not be the habitat according to your clue.
5. Your turn ends. Pass to the left.

Searching

1. Place the pawn on a space that could be the habitat according to your clue.
2. Declare a search.
3. You must immediately place one of your own discs on that space. (If one of your discs is already on that space, you must instead place a disc on a different space that could be the habitat according to your clue and that does not already contain one of your discs.)
4. Moving clockwise, ask each other player whether the creature could be there according to their clue:
   • Each player must place a cube or disc on the space accordingly.
   • Exception: If a player already has one of their discs on that space, they skip and pass to the next player.
5. As soon as any player places a cube, the search stops immediately. No further players are asked. You must then place one of your cubes on a different space that could not be the habitat according to your clue. Your turn ends.
6. If no player places a cube, you have correctly identified the habitat and you win the game.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

There is no point-based scoring. The game ends immediately when a player successfully searches the one space that is the cryptid’s habitat – meaning every other player confirms (by placing a disc or already having a disc there) that the space could be the habitat according to their clue.

The winning player is the one who searched the correct space.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Core Principles

These rules apply at all times during the game:

• Honesty is mandatory. You must always place cubes and discs truthfully according to your clue.
• Pieces are never removed from the board (unless correcting a mistake – see below).
• You may never interact with a space that contains any cube (yours or any other player’s). You cannot question that space, search that space, or place any of your pieces on it.
• If someone places a cube on your turn, you must also place a cube. This applies whether you questioned or searched. Your cube goes on a different space that could not be the habitat according to your clue.
• No duplicate pieces on a space. If one of your pieces (cube or disc) is already on a space, you cannot add another of your pieces to that space.

Cube and Disc Placement Details

• A space can contain only one cube (from any player). Once a cube is on a space, no other pieces can be placed there.
• A space can contain multiple discs from different players (stack them so the space remains visible).
• You may place pieces on spaces that contain structures.

Misdirection Strategy

When forced to place a cube, you may strategically place it to mislead other players about your clue. For example, if you already have a cube on a mountain space, you might place another cube on a different mountain space to make others think your clue is “the habitat is not in the mountains” – even if your actual clue is different.

Similarly, when questioning, you may ask about any space, including one you know could not be the habitat. This is a legitimate way to disguise your clue.

Correcting Mistakes

If a player realizes they placed a cube where they should have placed a disc (or vice versa):

1. Announce the mistake to all players immediately upon noticing it (this can happen during any player’s turn, not just your own).
2. Replace the incorrect piece on that space with the correct one.
3. Move the removed piece to another legal space:
   • A removed cube must go on a space that could not be the habitat according to your clue.
   • A removed disc must go on a space that could be the habitat according to your clue.
4. You cannot place the moved piece on a space that already has one of your pieces or any player’s cube.

Getting a Hint

If players are stuck, they may agree to take a hint:

• Agreement required: All players must agree, OR all but one player if playing with 4 or 5 players.
• Using cards: Check the number on the game card and look it up in the Hints section in the back of the rulebook. Hints reveal which categories of clues are NOT in play (e.g., “no clues that mention any animal territory,” “no within one space clues”).
• Using the app: Follow the in-app instructions.

Distance and Adjacency

• “Within X spaces” means counting by hexagonal adjacency. Any element is zero spaces from itself.
• “Within one space of forest” includes every forest space AND every space touching a forest space.
• “Within two spaces of a standing stone” includes the standing stone’s space AND every space within two hex-steps of it.

Clue Types

There are 6 categories of clues. All clues relate to distance from certain elements on the board. In advanced mode, any of these can be negated (“the habitat is NOT…”).

1. Terrain pair: The habitat is on one of two types of terrain (e.g., “on forest or swamp”).
2. Within one space of a terrain type: Includes tiles of that terrain type themselves (e.g., “within one space of desert” includes all desert spaces plus all spaces adjacent to desert).
3. Within one space of either animal territory: The habitat is within one space of bear OR cougar territory (includes spaces inside those territories).
4. Within two spaces of a structure type: Within two spaces of any standing stone or any abandoned shack (colour is irrelevant for this clue type). Includes the structure’s own space.
5. Within two spaces of a specific animal territory: Within two spaces of bear territory or cougar territory specifically (only the named type counts). Includes spaces containing that territory.
6. Within three spaces of a structure colour: Within three spaces of any structure (standing stone or shack) of a specific colour (white, green, blue, or black). Structure type is irrelevant for this clue. Includes the structure’s own space.

Important: Players will never be given identical clues in the same game.

Normal vs. Advanced Mode Differences

Aspect	Normal Mode	Advanced Mode
Clue polarity	All positive (“the habitat IS…”)	May include negative (“the habitat is NOT…”)
Structures on board	3 of each type (3 standing stones, 3 shacks)	All 4 of each type (4 standing stones, 4 shacks)

Player Reference

Turn Options

| Action | Procedure | |—|—| | Question | Place pawn on any space. Ask one other player “Could the creature be here?” They place a disc (yes) or cube (no). If they placed a cube, you must also place a cube elsewhere. | | Search | Place pawn on a space that could be the habitat per your clue. Place your disc. Ask each player clockwise. If anyone places a cube, search fails and you place a cube. If no one does, you win. |

Piece Meanings

| Piece | Meaning | |—|—| | Cube | “This space could NOT be the habitat” (according to that player’s clue) | | Disc | “This space COULD be the habitat” (according to that player’s clue) |

Space Restrictions

• A space with any cube: no further interaction allowed (no questioning, searching, or placing pieces)
• A space can hold multiple discs from different players (stack them)
• A space can hold at most one cube total
• You cannot have two of your own pieces on the same space

Clue Category Quick Reference

1. On one of two terrain types
2. Within 1 space of a terrain type
3. Within 1 space of either animal territory (bear or cougar)
4. Within 2 spaces of a structure type (standing stone or abandoned shack; colour irrelevant)
5. Within 2 spaces of a specific animal territory (bear or cougar)
6. Within 3 spaces of a structure colour (white, green, blue, or black; type irrelevant)

Key Numbers

• Players: 3-5
• Initial sharing: 2 cubes per player before first turn
• Map tiles: 6
• Structures: 4 standing stones + 4 abandoned shacks (3 of each in normal mode)
• Structure colours: white, green, blue, black
• Terrain types: desert, forest, water, mountain, swamp
• Animal territories: bear, cougar
• Cards in deck: 54 (clear border = normal, black border = advanced)
• Hint agreement: all players, or all but 1 (with 4-5 players)