Board Game Arena

I'm not sure if anyone reads this forum anymore, but I figured I'd give it a shot. I've recently started playing Decrypto again and been having fun. But one thing I've noticed is that sometimes clues are given that seem to relate to a homonym of the keyword and not the actual word itself.

I don't want to give exact examples, because I'm not trying to call out any players. I think everyone is trying their best and it is very difficult to give clues when so many people have all the keywords memorized

So, as a hypothetical example, let's say my keyword is desert. I give the clue sundae to get my team to think of dessert which then leads them to desert. IMO, that is not an acceptable clue as it doesn't relate to the meaning of desert, only the spelling.

Another hypothetical example, let's say my keyword is lion. I give the clue Main Street because "main" is a homonym for "mane" which clues to lion. Is that an acceptable clue?

And I'll repeat - I'm not trying to call out anyone. I'm looking for clarification on what we should and shouldn't be clueing.

Also, if you are on a team with someone who does give a clue like that, how do you handle it?

The official rulebook does not allow those kind of clues:

"The Clues must refer to the meaning of the Keywords. The Clues must never refer to the spelling (“C” to hint at “Cursed”), the number of letters (“8” or “8 letters” to hint at “Scorpion”), the position on the Screen (“musketeers” to hint at the word in the third position), or pronunciation (“face” to make your team guess “Place”)."

In both of your examples ("sundae" for desert/dessert and "Main Street" for lion via main/mane), the clues rely on pronunciation and homonyms rather than the actual meaning of the keyword.

If a teammate gives a clue like this, it's usually best to gently point out the rule at the end of the round. Allowing homonym clues breaks the core deduction mechanics, making it almost impossible for the opposing team to intercept logically.