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- BGG rating
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The Mole in the Hole
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
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- 1995
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- BGG rating
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Inner Circle
1981
Rules assistance for Inner Circle
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.6/5
Rules assistant for Inner Circle
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Inner Circle is a board game released in 1981 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Virginia Charves and Wayne J. Yee and its main mechanics are Memory, Grid Movement, and Modular Board.
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About the game
In Inner Circle each player places their pieces on the outer rim of the hexagonal board. On a player's turn, the player moves a piece the number of dots that are underneath that piece (no peeking, it's touch and move). The aim is to land in survival spots in the board. After all the spots are claimed, the board is lifted out, and the pieces that didn't make it are left behind. This repeats until all but one player's pieces are eliminated, or the last piece makes it to the center spot on the fourth board.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Estrela
- Majora
- Milton Bradley
- Spear's Games
- Joker
- Desyllas Games
Questions and answers
Inner Circle supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Inner Circle is 20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Inner Circle for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Inner Circle has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Inner Circle belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy, Puzzle, and Maze. Its main mechanics are Memory, Grid Movement, and Modular Board. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Inner Circle are: Virginia Charves and Wayne J. Yee. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Inner Circle as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.