It is a game of Codemaker and Codebreaker. The Codemaker places different colored pegs in position behind a shield ... the "Code". The pegs can be of similar colors or different colors. The Codebreaker will attempt to break the "Code" and duplicate the "Code" in both color and position.

The Codebreaker starts the game by playing a line of colored pegs on the game board. Through a series of black or white pegs, the Codemaker tells the Codebreaker information as to the correctness or incorrectness of the line of pegs in relation to the "Code". Through this information, the Codebreaker continues with another line of colored pegs, using the first bits of information to further narrow down the possibilities of the "Code". This continues until the "Code" is broken. Then players switch sides and the opposing player sees if they can decipher the "Code" using less lines of colored pegs.

Besides various options within a game, the "Master Mind" franchise was expanded to many variations on the game ...

MINI and MINI LUXE --- two players, six colors, four holes, and 2,401 permutations.

SUPER --- two players, eight colors, five holes, and 59,049 permutations.

GRAND --- two players, five colors, five shapes and equivalent of eight holes, and 1,679,616 permutations.

WALT DISNEY --- two players, five characters, three holes, four different games, and up to 216 permutations.

FAMILY --- four players, six colors, five holes, up to 6,840 permutations.

ELECTRONIC --- For one, two or a group of players. Three, four or five numbers. Permutations run from 1,000 to 100,000.

44 --- four players, six colors, five holes, and 6,480 permutations.

NUMBER --- two players, numbers from 0 to 9, four holes, and 10,000 permutations.

WORD --- two players, all letters of the alphabet, four holes, and endless permutations.

MASTER MIND FOR THE BLIND --- sorry, I have no infomation on this version.
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