Five Clues
One word goes with all five clues, before or after each. Name it early for more points: every miss, or every clue you buy, shows the next clue.
The rules
- 1Read the first clue
One word appears. A single hidden word goes with it — and with four more clues you cannot see yet.
- 2Name the link
Pick it from the shortlist on easy and medium, or type it on hard. Plurals count.
- 3Or buy a clue
A wrong guess reveals the next clue, and so does buying one outright. Each costs a point.
- 4Score
Five points on the first clue, down to one on the fifth. Miss on the fifth and the round scores nothing.
Controls
- Mouse / touch
- Tap a word on the shortlist, or type your answer and tap Guess. "Show clue" buys the next one.
- Keyboard
- Tab through the shortlist and press Enter, or type the link and press Enter.
Tips
- The link can go before or after each clue: for "wall", try words that end in it (firewall, stonewall) as well as ones that start with it (wallpaper).
- The first clue is always the one with the most possible partners — do not spend a guess on it lightly.
- On the shortlist, every wrong option you rule out in your head is free. Only a guess costs.
The score runs backwards: every clue you ask for is a point gone, so the game is knowing when to commit.
One hidden word goes with all five clues — before or after each, like fire with wall, fly and engine. The first clue shows alone, and every miss or clue you buy reveals the next. Naming the link on the first clue is worth five points; most rounds are won on the third.
Common questions
How does scoring work in Five Clues?
You start on five points and lose one for each extra clue you need, whether you missed or bought it. Naming the link on the first clue is a five, on the last a one, and missing on the last scores nothing.
What counts as the link?
One word that goes before or after every clue to make a familiar word or phrase — fire goes with wall, cracker, fly, place and engine. Plurals of the link are accepted too.
What changes between easy, medium and hard?
How you answer. Easy picks from four words, medium from eight, and hard has you type the link with no shortlist at all. The daily round is medium.
Can I play past rounds?
Yes, from the archive, like every other daily here. Old rounds are playable for fun but do not count towards streaks or the leaderboard.