What counts towards your score
In Synonymo, the French synonym game, a winning game is worth up to 1,000 points. Three things move your score: mistakes, jokers (60 points each at medium difficulty) and time. Games are short, with a reference time of one and a half minutes: finishing in under 45 seconds earns up to 200 bonus points, while a gradual penalty applies if you go well over.
With only three words to find, every mistake weighs heavily. The first costs about 75 points, the second about 45, the third around 30. The tips below are about getting it right first time.
1. Start from the shape of the row
Each row gives you two valuable pieces of information: the first letter and the length. Rather than looking for "a synonym", look for a word that starts with that letter and has that many letters. Your brain finds answers faster with a precise constraint than with an open question.
A simple method: say the first letter, then run through common French word starts (VA, VE, VI, VO…) while keeping the meaning in mind. The right word often pops up on the second or third syllable you try.
2. Explore every meaning of the target word
Many words have several meanings, and the three synonyms don't necessarily share the same one. Take an imaginary example with PIQUANT. In the kitchen, you think of ÉPICÉ (spicy) or RELEVÉ (seasoned). But if a row wants an M with 7 letters, it is the figurative sense that unlocks it: piquant humour is MORDANT, biting.
When a row won't budge, ask yourself: "In what other sentence could I use this word?" The literal sense, the figurative sense and set phrases each open a new list of candidates.
3. Switch registers
Synonyms of the same French word often span several levels of language. For RAPIDE (fast), VITE is everyday French, PROMPT more written and VÉLOCE distinctly formal. If everyday words don't fit the squares, step up to literary or technical vocabulary.
As a rule, the synonym is the same part of speech as the target word: an adjective calls for an adjective, a noun for a noun. That reflex rules out a lot of false leads straight away.
4. Start with the most obvious row
You can play the three rows in any order. Read them all at a glance, then fill in the one that speaks to you first. You save seconds for the speed bonus, and a word you have found often puts you on track for the others by showing which meaning is in play.
On a computer, type directly on your keyboard and move between rows with the up and down arrows: much faster than using the mouse.
5. Choose between a mistake and a joker
In Synonymo, the rule is counter-intuitive: your first mistake costs about 75 points, more than a joker (60 points). Later mistakes cost less. Hence a simple strategy:
- if you have no idea at all, take a joker: it reveals a sure letter for less than a random guess;
- if you have a serious candidate, try it: a right answer costs nothing, and a wrong one still locks the correctly placed letters in green.
The joker never reveals the first letter, which is already given: it targets another square of the selected row.
6. Make the most of green letters
After a mistake, correctly placed letters stay on screen in green. Use them like a crossword grid: a second known letter often cuts the candidates down to one or two. Also think about likely endings for the length: -EUX, -EUSE, -ANT, -ENT, -IQUE, -ABLE for adjectives, -TION, -MENT, -URE for nouns.
Accents don't count: type E for É, È or Ê, and C for Ç. No need to hunt for special keys.
7. Build your French vocabulary day by day
Synonymo rewards a rich vocabulary. Reading in French, doing crosswords or browsing a dictionary of synonyms all feed your word stock. At the end of each game, take a few seconds to remember the synonyms you discovered: they will come back.
To review the rules, read how to play Synonymo. And if you like playing with word meanings, discover our games like Cémantix.