Poeltl
Guess the day's mystery NBA player in eight tries, using team, position, height, age and jersey clues.
Every day: One new mystery NBA player each day, the same for every player, to identify in eight guesses from team, position, height, age and jersey number clues. New puzzle: Midnight US Eastern Time.
Poeltl is a daily guessing game about NBA players. Each guess shows how the player you named compares with the mystery player on team, conference, division, position, height, age and jersey number. You have eight guesses to find him.
About Poeltl
Poeltl was made by Gabe Danon and first went online in February 2022 at poeltl.dunk.town. It is named after Jakob Poeltl, the Austrian center. In February 2024 the National Basketball Players Association relaunched it at poeltl.nbpa.com, with Danon still running the creative side and Poeltl himself joining as co-owner and ambassador. The relaunch also brought a new look styled after 1990s arcade games.
A round starts with an empty table. You type the name of any current player, and a row appears with that player's team, conference, division, position, height, age and number. Green cells match the mystery player exactly. Yellow cells are close: a team he used to play for, a position he shares, or a height, age or number within two. Arrows on the numbers tell you whether to go higher or lower.
If you are stuck, you can turn on a silhouette of the mystery player's headshot. It does not cost a guess, though some regulars treat it as a last resort. Each day's puzzle is numbered and a new player appears at midnight Eastern Time.
Poeltl suits NBA fans who know rosters well, but the clue table means you can work your way in by deduction even if the answer is a bench player. It takes a few minutes and pairs well with other sports dailies such as Immaculate Grid.
How to play Poeltl
- Open the game and start today's puzzle.
- Type the name of any NBA player and pick him from the list.
- Read the row of clues: green is an exact match, yellow is close, and arrows point toward the right height, age or number.
- Use those clues to choose your next guess, narrowing down team, position and age.
- Find the mystery player within eight guesses, or turn on the silhouette if you need help.
Tips
- Open with a player from a team in the middle of the league so the conference and division clues rule out as much as possible.
- Yellow on team means the mystery player once played there; think about recent trades.
- Use height and age together: a few inches and a couple of years cut the list down quickly.
- Save the silhouette for your last two or three guesses if you want the full challenge.
- Jersey numbers are easy to forget; once the number is yellow, guess players who wear nearby numbers.
Questions
When does a new Poeltl player come out?
Every day at midnight Eastern Time.
How many guesses do you get?
Eight.
What does yellow mean in Poeltl?
A close match: a team the player used to be on, a position he shares, or a height, age or number within two of the answer.
Who makes Poeltl?
Gabe Danon created it in February 2022. Since February 2024 it has been run with the NBA players' union, the NBPA, and Jakob Poeltl is a co-owner.
Is poeltl.dunk.town still the right address?
No. The old address now points to poeltl.nbpa.com.
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