- BGG rating
- 4.9
The Enigma of Leonardo: Novem
- 2–4 players
- 50 min
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #30,413
- BGG rating
- 4.8
The Enigma of Leonardo
2007
Rules assistance for The Enigma of Leonardo
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 40 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.3/5
Rules assistant for The Enigma of Leonardo
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Enigma of Leonardo is a board game released in 2007 for 2–4 players, 40 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Sergey Machin and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
In The Enigma of Leonardo, players try to collect keys by creating patterns in the cards before them on the table. To start the game, deal each player ten cards. Each player takes five of these cards at random, places them in a + pattern, then turns them face-up; the other five cards form that player's hand. Each card has two of twelve symbols in the upper-left corner. On a turn, a player replaces one card in his + with a card from his hand, moving the first card into the + of his left-hand opponent in the same location; that opponent discards the card that was in that location. If a player creates a horizontal or vertical line of cards which each feature the same symbol, that player takes a key card showing that symbol. (A player can claim a particular type of key only once.) If all five cards in a player's + show the same symbol, the player can claim any key card that he does not already have. The first player to collect seven key cards wins. The Enigma of Leonardo includes rule variants featuring additional ways to play. Reimplemented by: The Enigma of Leonardo: Quintis Fontis
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Stolitsa Design Group
- Rightgames RBG SIA
Questions and answers
The Enigma of Leonardo 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 The Enigma of Leonardo is 40 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 The Enigma of Leonardo 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.
The Enigma of Leonardo has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
The Enigma of Leonardo belongs to these categories: Card Game and Renaissance. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 The Enigma of Leonardo are: Sergey Machin. 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 The Enigma of Leonardo 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.