Bridge Words

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Pair up clues, find the word that bridges each pair, and reveal the keystone.

Play Bridge Words

on playbridgewords.com

Bridge Words preview: clue pairs coffee holder and make a face bridged by MUG, with hair curl and door fastener waiting for their word

Bridge Words is a free daily word association puzzle. Two banks of clues face each other, and each clue on one side has a partner on the other; line them up, type the word that fits both, and build the bridge. The first letters of all the bridge words spell the keystone, the day's theme. You start with 1,000 points and lose some for wrong guesses, time and hints.

About Bridge Words

Bridge Words, created by Ben Stadler, sets out two columns of clues, Bank A and Bank B. Every clue in one bank pairs with exactly one clue in the other, and the pair shares a single answer: the bridge word. In the tutorial, for example, coffee holder pairs with make a face (MUG), and door fastener with hair curl (LOCK). You drag clues up and down until a matching pair sits on the same row, type the bridge word and press Build.

The bridge words are themed. Their first letters, read in order, spell the keystone, which is the theme itself, so once a few bridges are built the keystone can help you guess the rest.

Each puzzle starts at 1,000 points. Wrong guesses cost 20, and after the first two minutes the clock costs 10 points a minute, up to 200. Hints are on hand at a price: lining up a matching pair costs 50, then you can reveal a letter or the word length for 25 each, or the whole answer, with no more than 200 lost per bridge. A bridge report at the end sums up your score, and past puzzles are in the archives.

Bridge Words suits players who enjoy crossword-style clues and the hunt for one word with two meanings.

How to play Bridge Words

Open playbridgewords.com and press Start Game.
Drag clues in Bank A and Bank B until two related clues sit on the same row.
Type the word that fits both clues and press Build.
Repeat for every pair, using hints if you need them.
Read the first letters of the bridge words to reveal the keystone, the day's theme.

Tips

Look for clues with several meanings; the bridge word is usually a word with two senses.
Once you have two or three first letters, guess the keystone; it narrows every remaining bridge.
Take your time for the first two minutes, which are free of any time penalty.
Use the cheapest hint first: lining up the pair often makes the word obvious.