The double take
Clue Pairs
Two meanings. One answer.
No daily editions of Clue Pairs are published yet. These are practice rounds: original, machine-validated and clearly labelled, but not yet through human editorial review. Difficulty labels are the author's intention, not calibrated evidence.
Master rounds are written for strong tile-game and cryptic-crossword players: obscure but valid vocabulary, denser puzzles and fewer helping hands. They are the hardest rounds here.
Gentle 12 rounds
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Standard 12 rounds
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Expert 18 rounds
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Master 12 rounds
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How to play
Each card gives two different meanings. Find the one word, of the length shown, that fits both.
Solving a card
- Every round has five cards. Each card shows two definitions, Meaning 1 and Meaning 2, and the number of letters in the answer.
- Type one word that fits both meanings and press Submit (or Enter). Capitals and surrounding spaces do not matter.
- Answers are single words using A to Z: spaces, hyphens and apostrophes are not accepted.
- A word that fits only one of the meanings is not the answer, even if it is a real word.
- Solve the cards in any order using the numbered buttons. What you type on each card is kept when you switch.
- British spellings are used: a cold current of air is a DRAUGHT, not a DRAFT.
Guesses
- A wrong guess of the right length is listed on its card. You are told only that it does not fit both meanings.
- A guess of the wrong length, with non-letters, or one you have already tried is explained and not counted.
- Wrong guesses never remove points.
- If you think a rejected answer should count, use Report an answer issue. The report is saved on this device for the editors.
Hints and revealing
- Hints apply only to the card you are looking at; other cards are never spoiled.
- First letter, then Another letter: shows the answer's letters from the start, one at a time (never the whole word).
- Usage example (after a letter): a sentence using the answer in one of its meanings, with the answer blanked out.
- Reveal this card: shows the answer with both meanings explained. A revealed card scores 0.
- Reveal answers: after you confirm, every remaining card is revealed and the round ends as revealed.
Scoring and result
- Each solved card is worth 100 divided by the number of cards (20 in a five-card round). The total is rounded once at the end.
- A card solved after hints still scores, but the round is marked Assisted.
- When every card is solved or revealed, the result shows each answer with both meanings explained, your wrong guesses and hints.
- No timer, no automatic advance: after solving a card, its explanation stays until you choose Next card.
Difficulty
- Gentle cards pair two concrete, everyday meanings.
- Standard cards pair a concrete meaning with a more abstract one.
- Expert cards use less obvious but established meanings, and the wording may point you the wrong way.
- Master cards pair a familiar-looking word with an archaic, regional or technical second sense of the kind a Collins dictionary lists (a northern stream, an old weight, a shipping term). Answers have four to nine letters and are real words a strong player will know, but the second meaning may be unfamiliar; one of the two meanings is always recognisable.
- Each difficulty is a different set of rounds. Labels are the author's intention and have not yet been calibrated with players.
Example
Meaning 1: A long-legged wading bird. Meaning 2: A machine used to lift heavy loads. (5 letters) The answer is CRANE. HERON fits only the first meaning, so it is not accepted.
Release status for Clue Pairs
- Engine rules and tests: passed · Pure engine; both-meanings, length, alternates, case, hint/reveal separation, scoring and replay tests
- Browser walkthrough (keyboard, touch, refresh, hint, completion): passed · tests/e2e/clue-pairs.spec.ts
- UK reference-dictionary support for both senses of every answer, and a blind solve: open · See docs/REVIEW-LOG.md
- Human editorial review of every round: open
- Reviewed practice bank (10+ rounds per advertised difficulty): open
- 30 scheduled reviewed daily editions: open
- Observed player pilot and difficulty calibration: open
- Manual screen-reader and real-device checks: open
- Approved dictionary membership layer: not-applicable · Answers are checked against authored accepted lists