| How to Play Codenames Posted: 24 Apr 2021 05:00 PM PDT If you like espionage, intrigue, and word-clues, then Codenames is the game for you! It's action-packed and super fun to play with a group of friends. Codenames involves giving clever clues to help your team identify friendly secret agents and avoid the deadly assassin. You can play with the official Codenames card deck, online, or through the Codenames app on your smartphone or tablet. And it's not too difficult to learn. To make it even easier, we've put together a handy list for you to use to set up and play a fun round of Codenames. [Edit]Gather your players and Codenames cards. - Set up a game with at least 4 players and the official game. The object of Codenames is to identify all of your team's secret agents without accidentally revealing enemy agents, innocent bystanders, or the deadly assassin. You need at least 4 players for a standard game of Codenames, and you can use the official deck of Codenames cards, or have all of the players access the Codenames app to set up a game.[1]
[Edit]Split up the players into 2 teams. - Try to create 2 teams of similar size and skill. Divide the players as evenly as you can into 2 teams that roughly match each other in size and skill. For instance, if you have 7 total players, divide them into teams of 4 and 3, and try to put players with a little more experience in the smaller group so it's relatively balanced.[2]
[Edit]Select 1 spymaster per team. - Each team can choose a different spymaster between games. Allow both teams to talk amongst themselves and pick 1 player to serve as spymaster for that round. Seat both spymasters across from their teammates on the other side of the table or playing area.[3]
- The spymasters will provide clues and will not help choose agents with the other players.
[Edit]Choose 25 codename cards. - Shuffle the deck and choose randomly. The official Codenames game comes with over 400 potential codename cards. Shuffle up the deck nicely and pull out 25 of them randomly. You won't need to use any of the remaining cards for that round, so go ahead and put them away.[4]
- If you're using the Codenames app or playing online, they'll automatically choose 25 codename cards for you.
[Edit]Set up a 5 by 5 grid with the cards. - Make an even square with the code words facing up. Take the 25 cards and arrange them into 5 rows adjacent rows of 5 cards. Form a perfect square so the playing area is nice and neat.[5]
- The Codenames app or online game will also automatically form a 25-card grid.
[Edit]Choose 1 keycard from the deck. - Place it on the stand in front of the spymasters. The keycard tells the spymasters the identities behind the codename cards in the playing area. Have the spymasters choose 1 keycard and keep it out of view from the other players. Use the keycard stand that comes with the Codenames game or just keep the card hidden from the other players.[6]
- Both spymasters need to be able to see the keycard.
[Edit]Deal out 8 agent cards to each team. - Choose 8 red and 8 blue cards. Both teams have a color assigned to them: one team is red and the other is blue. Each team has 8 agent cards that match their team color. Count out the cards and place them in front of the team's spymaster.[7]
[Edit]Flip 1 double agent card to the starting team. - The color on the keycard indicates the starting team. Look for the colored rectangles on the outer edge of the keycard. If they're blue, then the blue team goes first. If they're red, then the red team goes first. Take 1 of the agent cards away from the opposing team, flip it over to the other team's color, and add it to the starting team's pile.[8]
- The double agent card balances out the advantage that the team who goes first has. The starting team will have 9 agents and the other team will have 7.
- If you're playing online or in an app, the game will automatically flip a double agent card over to the starting team.
[Edit]Gather the agent cards, 7 bystanders, and 1 assassin card. - Place them all in front of the spymasters. Place the stacks of agent cards in front of their respective spymaster. Then, stack 7 bystander cards in the center and place the single assassin card near them.[9]
- The online game or app will keep track of the cards for you.
[Edit]Give a 1-word clue and a number. - Use only 1 word and a number to give your teammates a hint. The word gives a clue about which codenames correspond to a friendly agent and the number tells your team how many possible codename cards match the clue. The spymaster on the starting team goes first. Say only the 1-word clue and the number, and that is it. No other hints, facial expressions, or any other potential clues can be given.[10]
- For example, the spymaster could say, "Nature, 2." Their teammates can then select the codenames they think match the clue to try to identify their agents, such as a codename card that says "Tree" and another that says, "Bear."
- Don't use any phrases like, "Okay so this is kind of related" or "Alright, this is kind of like" before you give your 1-word clue.
- Be careful which word you use! Sometimes a clue could potentially cause your own teammates to choose an enemy agent.
[Edit]Guess up to the given number plus 1. - A team can pass or continue guessing if they choose correctly. You can only guess one codename at a time. If you successfully guess the codename and identify an agent, you can then choose another codename. You're allowed to guess as many times as the number that your spymaster gave you plus 1. If you guess incorrectly, you lose your turn.[11]
- For instance, if the spymaster says, "Water, 2" you could choose a codename card like "Boat" and "Fish." If they're both right, you have the chance to make 1 more guess. You could make a blind guess or try to use an older clue to choose another codename card.
- If you guess the opposing team's codename, then they get to place an agent card on the codename. If you guess a bystander, then your turn is over and a bystander card is placed over the codename.
- If you guess the assassin card, then your team loses the game.
- Your team must make at least 1 guess, but you're allowed to pass after your first guess if you like.
[Edit]Place an agent or bystander card over the chosen codename card. - Reveal the identity behind the codename card your team has chosen. After a team uses the spymaster's clue to make a guess, the spymaster reveals the identity behind the codename. If it's one of their agents, then they've guessed correctly and one of their agent cards is placed on top. If it's an opposing team's agent or a bystander, then one of those cards are placed on top of the codename card. If they've chosen the assassin, then the assassin card is placed on to of the codename card and the game is over.[12]
[Edit]Take turns giving codewords until there is a winner. - The game ends when 1 team identifies their agents or the assassin. Each team's takes turns making their guesses using the clue provided by their spymaster. The game ends whenever 1 team has identified all of their agents, or the assassin card is chosen.[13]
- The team that chooses the assassin automatically loses.
- The spymasters must maintain a straight face and avoid giving any extra clues or hints with their body language and facial expressions.
- You can change spymasters in between each round so everyone gets a turn.
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Care for Air Plants Indoors Posted: 24 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT Air plants, also known as Tillandsia, do not grow in soil. Instead, they survive by pulling nutrients from the air. They make great house plants because they require very little maintenance aside from 4-6 hours of indirect sunlight every day and weekly waterings. Since air plants don't grow in soil, you can create all sorts of interesting displays with them! All you have to do is find them a stable, moisture-free surface to grow on. [Edit]Creating the Ideal Environment - Provide 4-6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight every day. Air plants love bright light but they cannot withstand direct sunlight, which quickly burns their foliage.[1] Place your air plant within of a south, east, or west-facing window to ensure it gets plenty of bright, filtered sunlight.[2]
- In the Northern Hemisphere, a south-facing window will receive the most light during the day. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, it's the opposite—a north-facing window gets more light.[3]
- Place or mount your air plant on a dry, stable surface. Air plants do not grow in soil, which allows you to display them in all sorts of interesting and attractive ways. They do require a dry, stable surface that doesn't hold water, but other than that, your imagination is the limit.[4]
- For example, you can place air plants on a sunny windowsill or on a bookshelf near a light source. Positioning them inside glass terrariums or globes is a popular and attractive solution.
- You can also mount an air plant to a surface permanently with hot glue or super glue. If you don't want to use glue, tie the plants in place with fishing wire.
- Try mounting your air plant on a piece of driftwood or coral using hot glue to create a pretty display. Decide where you want to position the air plant on the chosen material, apply a small amount of hot glue to the area, and press the underside of the air plant clump into the glue. Hold the plant in place for 10-15 seconds so the glue can set.[5]
- Maintain a temperature between for healthy growth. Most indoor temperatures easily fall within this range, but sunny windows can get quite hot in the summertime. Similarly, temperatures near windows can drop quickly in winter. If you live in a particularly hot or cold climate, you might want to mount a thermostat near the window so you can monitor the temperature.[6]
- You could also download a free app to your smartphone to monitor temperature or use a digital temperature gun to take periodic readings.
- Air plants are tropical and they will die if they're exposed to temperatures lower than .[7]
- Soak air plants in a basin or tub of water for 30 minutes once a week. Give your air plants a thorough watering every week by placing them directly in a tub or sink filled with water. Submerge the plants and leave them for half an hour. Then, shake them gently to get rid of excess moisture and spread them upside-down on a clean towel so they can air-dry.[8][9]
- If your mounted air plant can't be moved, mist it heavily with water until the leaves are dripping.[10]
- Letting an air plant dry upside-down allows the water to drip away from the crown of the plant. Otherwise, water might settle into the crown and cause rot.[11]
- Return the plants to their designated window after they dry completely.
- Mist air plants between waterings to add moisture and humidity. Air plants are tropical, so they enjoy plenty of heat and humidity. Put fresh water into a spray bottle and mist your air plants a little bit each day. Pay attention to your air plant's leaves, which will curl or roll up if the plant gets dehydrated.[12]
- Dehydrated leaves may also look pale green in color and feel soft to the touch.[13]
- If you see curled or rolled leaves, give the plant a thorough soak and remember to keep up with daily misting.
- If you live in a humid climate, you can probably mist your plants every other day.
- Feed air plants with Bromeliad fertilizer once a month to encourage growth. Bromelaid fertilizer is a 17-8-22 fertilizer that you can buy from nurseries or online. If you don't have access to Bromelaid fertilizer, you can use any water-soluble houseplant fertilizer diluted to ¼ strength. Pour the fertilizer into the basin of water before a weekly watering session and submerge the plants in the water for half an hour like you normally would.[14]
- Use the amount of fertilizer recommended on the packaging, but make sure you dilute it to 1/4 strength if it's a general houseplant fertilizer.
[Edit]Pruning and Dividing Air Plants - Pull off dry, brown leaves at the base of the plant when they appear. It's completely normal for leaves at the base of an air plant to dry out and turn brown over time, especially if the plant is acclimating to a new environment. Gently grasp the brown leaves with your fingers and pry them away from the base whenever you see them.[15]
- Trim away dry, brown leaf tips with a sharp pair of scissors. The tips of air plant leaves get brown and dry occasionally. Use pruning shears or scissors to cut the dried tips off at an angle so the leaves continue to have pointed ends. That way, the pruned foliage will blend naturally into the rest of the plant.[16]
- Dry tips could mean that you're underwatering the air plant. Consider misting your plant more often to see if the issue resolves.
- Divide air plants once they begin to reproduce to control growth. Young air plants grow rather slowly. However, after 2-4 years of proper care, growth tends to accelerate rapidly. Baby shoots, also known as pups, will start appearing at the base of the plant. To control size, you can remove the pups from the mother plant and create new plants.[17]
- Make sure pups are at least a third of the mother's size before removing them.
- Spread the leaves gently with your fingers to isolate the pups. Hold a single clump in both hands and gently work your fingers into the base of the clump, which is where the pups grow. You will be able to clearly see where the individual pups attach to the mother plant.[18]
- It's easiest to divide plants immediately after soaking them in water.
- Pull the pups away from the mother carefully with your fingers. Apply a little bit of pressure and separate the pups from the mother. The pups will separate easily and eventually become mother plants themselves. Once the clump is divided, let the pups air-dry completely before returning them to their designated spot![19]
- Since they multiply quite a bit, you might want to give away some of your pups to friends and family.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Stable surface
- Spray bottle
- Dry towels
- Hot glue or super glue (optional)
- Mounted thermostat (optional)
- Water-soluble fertilizer
[Edit]References |
| How to Wear Jeans with Sneakers Posted: 24 Apr 2021 01:00 AM PDT Sneakers and jeans are highly versatile wardrobe items, but pairing them with each other can be confusing! A great pair of skinny jeans may look awesome with vintage low tops, but awkward with retro high tops. When trying to figure out how to pair them, you'll need to keep in mind a few factors, like the length and style of the jeans, height of the shoes, color and patterning, and level of formality. With a little planning, though, you'll be able to craft super stylish outfits out of these wardrobe staples. [Edit]Creating Casual Looks - Pair regular- or slim-fit jeans with athletic sneakers for an everyday look. This is a combination you can never go wrong with. The best part about it is that you can wear it pretty much anywhere: meeting up with friends, going to a concert, hanging out in a park, or almost anything else you can think of.
- Go for a classic look by choosing monochrome jeans and sneakers combos. The best thing about a one- or two-tone look is that it will never go out of style. Match black jeans with black sneakers, or white jeans with white sneakers. Mix it up and wear black jeans with white sneakers, or white jeans with black sneakers. Try to play around with shades, such as dark and light grays and tans for a modern take on the classic look.
- For example, you could wear dark gray jeans with black sneakers or light gray jeans with white sneakers.
- If you want a more bold take on this classic outfit, try matching colored jeans with sneakers of the same color or a similar hue!
- Create a retro or boho look by pairing wide-leg jeans with low-tops. If you want to go for a breezy, vintage vibe, this is one of the easiest ways to do it! Choose jeans that are more form fitting through the waist and thighs and then open up at the calf, and throw on a pair of classic low-top, canvas sneakers.[1]
- To complete this look, add a vintage or oversized graphic tee and tuck it into the jeans, or wear a simple, flowy top!
- Use the sneakers to add a pop of color and show your sense of style. For the jeans, go with a solid color, like light or dark blue, white, or black. Then pair them with a pair of vibrantly-colored sneakers, or a pair that has a bold pattern. Break out those cool shoes that you've been looking for an excuse to wear!
- Pair high-top sneakers with straight-leg and regular-fit jeans. These jeans have a little more room through the leg and don't taper as much, which means they won't clash with high-top sneakers. You can choose to wear the pants so they cover the top of the shoe, or cuff them to show that part off. Either way, you'll look great!
- Cuff your jeans to show off your sneakers and create a modern look. Cuffing your jeans helps create a modern silhouette and can bring attention to a cool pair of sneakers. Beyond that, cuffing also helps if you need shorter jeans but don't have time to head to a tailor. Make a first cuff that is about long, and then repeat this for a second one. When cuffing, you should aim to have your jeans reach just above the ankle bone.[2]
- Don't cuff your pants more than twice, otherwise the bottom of your jeans will start to look bulky. If the pants are still too long with 2 cuffs, you might want to consider taking them to a tailor.
- Wear low-rise or no-show socks for a clean look. Though it's completely fine to wear exposed socks, many people prefer to not show socks with low-top sneakers. If you want to keep socks hidden, try out a pair of no-show socks, which you can get at places where shoes are sold.[3] No-show socks typically come in fewer sizes (often just small, medium, or large), so you will need to try a few pairs to find what works best for you and the shoes you have.
- If you are wearing high-tops, you'll want to have socks that reach up past your ankle to prevent blisters from forming, so avoid wearing no-show or crew cut socks with these kinds of sneakers.
- Wear a funky pair of socks to add a little bit of color. If you have to wear socks, consider long ones with a cool pattern or bright color. Use the visible space between your sneakers and jeans as an opportunity to showcase a little bit of personality and uniqueness!
[Edit]Dressing Up Jeans and Sneakers - Choose dark wash or black jeans and neutral-colored sneakers. In certain settings, like the office or upscale restaurants, you'll want to style the jeans and sneakers combo a little more formally. In general, as formality increases, the jeans should get darker. And with dark jeans, you'll want to stick to neutral colors (whites, blacks, grays, and tans) for your sneakers.[4]
- To keep the sneakers more work-appropriate, stay away from dramatic designs and stick to solid or two-tone patterns. For the jeans, avoid any styles with fading, distress, or rips.
- Elevate jeans and sneakers by adding a crisp shirt and a tailored blazer. One way to make jeans and sneakers a little classier is by adding more formal elements to the top of the outfit to balance the casualness of the bottom. This smart look is super versatile. It can be worn in many different situations, seasons, colors, and styles. Be sure to make it a staple in your wardrobe![5]
- Stick to slim-fit or skinny jeans and low-tops for a polished look. This tailored silhouette will always be in style and can be worn to almost any occasion that calls for more-than-casual attire. Having a pair or two of these types of jeans in your closet will make getting ready much easier, especially if you have a good pair of shoes to go with them.
- Go for a pair of sneakers made with high-end fabrics like leather or suede. Most casual sneakers are made of textiles, like cotton or polyester, or from synthetic materials. Dressier sneakers, however, are made of higher quality and more costly materials, which have an added bonus of making the sneakers more durable.[6]
- Because these shoes will typically cost more, choose a color and style that can go with any pair of pants. Black and other dark neutrals are generally the go-to for this, but whites and other lighter tans can also work just as well.
- You don't have to drop a lot of money for a good pair of dressy sneakers (or jeans, for that matter). Try going to local thrift stores or watching for sales online, and you'll be able to find something that works
- Keep dress sneakers clean so they look good when you need them. While sneakers you wear while playing sports can get dirty, you don't want grime caked onto shoes you wear to work. If something does happen, gently clean the shoes by rinsing them with water and scrubbing them lightly with a brush or cloth. Let the shoes dry completely before wearing them again.
- Avoid wearing high-top sneakers of any sort when trying a dressier look. High-top sneakers are typically more athletic in style and most likely won't do well in a formal setting. Save them for the gym!
- Be proud of your style! No matter what fashion trends are in or out at the moment, always remember to dress in a manner that makes you feel comfortable and confident.
- Opt for a slimmer fit of jeans when pairing them with sneakers. Generally speaking, sneakers are smaller and thinner than other types of shoes, so they look best when paired with more form-fitting pants.
- Buy jeans that fit you well. If you have a tape measure, you can find your best fit yourself. You can also get measured at many retail stores or a local tailor.[7]
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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