To disprove a suggestion, the player whose turn it is must, if possible, show one clue card that refutes the suspicion. This card can be a room, a person, or a weapon. If the player in turn is unable to show a clue card, the enquiry passes to the next player in turn until a card is shown. If no player has a card to show, the player who made the suggestion has successfully isolated one or more of the 'Murder Cards' (Cluedo Instructions, [page not specified]).
Step-by-Step
Step 1: A player makes a suggestion (e.g., Person, Weapon, Room).
Step 2: The player whose turn it is must check if they have a clue card that refutes that specific suggestion.
Step 3: If the player has a refuting card, they show it to the player who made the suggestion.
Step 4: If the player in turn cannot show a card, the turn passes to the next player to see if they can show a refuting card.
Step 5: This process continues until a card is shown or all players have been checked.
Example Play Situation
Alice suggests that Colonel Mustard killed the murder with the Wrench in the Library. Bob is next in turn; he looks at his cards and shows Alice the Wrench card to disprove the suggestion. Since Bob showed a card, the enquiry ends.
Common Misconceptions
Thinking only the person who made the suggestion can show cards
Assuming you must show all your cards to disprove a suggestion
Believing the turn skips everyone if the first player can't show a card
Quick Reference
You Can
You Cannot
Show one clue card to refute a suspicion
Show more than one card to disprove a single suggestion
Pass the enquiry to the next player if you cannot show a card
Stop the enquiry if the first player in turn has no cards to show
Use a room, person, or weapon card to disprove a suggestion
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the official rule for disproving a suggestion in Clue?
The player in turn must show one clue card that refutes the suspicion if they have one.
Can I show a room card to disprove a weapon suggestion?
Yes, any card (room, person, or weapon) that refutes the suspicion can be shown.
What happens if the first player cannot show a card?
The enquiry passes to the next player in turn until a card is shown.
When is a suggestion considered proven?
A suggestion is proven if no player is able to show a card that refutes it.
David Noah is a board game rules specialist and content creator who writes clear, dispute‑free guides for modern tabletop games. On this site, he focuses on answering the exact rules questions players argue about at the table, using official rulebooks, expansions, and tournament rulings as his primary sources. His goal is to turn confusing edge cases into simple, step‑by‑step explanations so you can spend less time debating and more time playing.
