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How to play Intersect
Fill a 3×3 grid with answers that satisfy both the row and column clues.
The idea
Intersect is a knowledge puzzle built from overlapping clues. Every square belongs to one row and one column, and your answer must match both. A puzzle can use countries, animals, music, sport or another structured topic. Several answers may fit a square, but the same answer cannot be used twice in one grid.
Rules, step by step
- Choose any empty square; you do not need to solve the grid in order.
- Read the clue at the start of its row and the clue above its column.
- Enter an answer that satisfies both clues. The game accepts recognised names and common aliases from its answer set.
- Use each accepted answer only once. Fill all nine squares to complete the puzzle.
- Wrong answers do not cost a guess, and there is no timer.
Worked example
Suppose a country grid has the row clue “Starts with S” and the column clue “In Europe”.
- Sweden satisfies both clues, so it would be a valid answer for that square.
- Spain, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia may also fit, depending on the puzzle’s curated answer set.
- Once Sweden is accepted in one square, you must use a different country everywhere else in the grid.
Strategy
- Start with the intersection that has the narrowest pair of clues. Solving a difficult square early keeps your flexible answers available.
- Before submitting a very obvious answer, check whether it could be more useful in another square.
- Treat each row and column as a shortlist, then look for names that appear in both lists.
- Spelling is forgiving for ordinary punctuation and aliases, but choose the standard name when you can.
Finishing the game
After the ninth square is filled, the puzzle shows how common or unusual your accepted choices were among other players.