Guides

One page per game, written out properly. What the rules are, what the feedback actually means, a worked example, and the handful of habits that make a real difference.

Every game here is short by design. You should be able to finish one in a few minutes on your phone. That does not mean there is nothing to learn, though. Most of these puzzles have one idea at their centre, and once you see it your scores tend to jump.

These guides never mention today's answer. They are about how the games work, not about spoiling them.

CarsSix guesses to name the mystery vehicle from its make, year, power and engine.Read the guide CountriesFive clues unlock one at a time. Find the daily country in six guesses.Read the guide StatesRegion, admission order, capital, flag and landmark clues point to one US state.Read the guide ConnectionsSixteen words hide four groups of four. You get four mistakes.Read the guide Logo CropA brand mark starts extremely close up and zooms out with every miss.Read the guide Guess the YearThree moments in history, one timeline, and points for getting close.Read the guide PingEight pings to find a hidden world capital using distance and bearing.Read the guide WarmerGuess countries and follow the heat. Eight guesses, hotter or colder each time.Read the guide PinpointPlace five countries on a map with no labels, then see how far off you were.Read the guide RedrawDraw the day's flag from memory and get scored on how well the colours match.Read the guide EmovieA line of emoji spells out a title. Five guesses, more symbols on each miss.Read the guide SnapOne archival photo. Pin the location, then estimate the landmark or event year.Read the guide PISSleA four letter word ladder with one destination, changing a single letter per step.Read the guide BARFleThe same one letter word ladder rule, with a different and equally dignified target.Read the guide JustRaceThe daily time trial. One official run, one leaderboard, and practice laps unlocked once you finish.Read the guide

Why I built Deduce

A bit of background on where the site came from, what I was trying to do differently, and why there are fourteen games instead of one.

Read the story

Something look wrong?

Deduce is built and maintained by one person, so mistakes get through. If a clue looks incorrect or an answer you were sure about was rejected, the contact page is the fastest way to flag it. Include the game and the date and it will get looked at.