description Scotland Yard Overview
Scotland Yard is a hidden-movement board game published by Ravensburger in 1983 and awarded the Spiel des Jahres that year. One player controls Mister X, whose location is usually concealed while moving across a map of London by taxi, bus, underground, and other transport, while the remaining players cooperate as detectives. Travel tickets and scheduled location reveals let the detectives infer Mister X's route, making the game suitable for groups interested in deduction, pursuit, and asymmetric play.
help Scotland Yard FAQ
When was the original Scotland Yard board game published?
Ravensburger published Scotland Yard in 1983, and the game won the Spiel des Jahres award that same year. Its central idea is a London pursuit in which one player controls the hidden fugitive Mister X.
How does movement work in Scotland Yard?
Mister X and the detectives move between London stations using taxi, bus, and Underground tickets. Mister X records movements secretly, while the detectives use the visible ticket trail and shared deductions to narrow down his location. [Ravensburger rules](https://www.ravensburger.de/spielanleitungen/ecm/Spielanleitungen/Scotland%20Yard%2040%20Jahre%20Anleitung.pdf)
How many people can play the classic Scotland Yard format?
The standard format is designed for 3 to 6 players, with one player as Mister X and the others acting as detectives. Some editions add Bobby figures when only two or three detective players are present.
When does Mister X have to reveal his location?
In the standard rule sequence, Mister X appears after his 3rd, 8th, 13th, 18th, and 24th moves. He then becomes visible briefly before disappearing again on the next move. [Ravensburger rules](https://www.ravensburger.de/spielanleitungen/ecm/Spielanleitungen/Scotland%20Yard%2040%20Jahre%20Anleitung.pdf)
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