guesser

Everyday

1. A person who guesses, who gives an answer without knowing for sure. tree →
2. In tests and games, a rule or player that picks an answer without really knowing, for example always choosing the longest option. tree →

In the lessons

In maths and quizzes, a «good guesser» uses estimation and clues; a random guesser often gets it wrong. In school testing a «guesser» is the score you would get by pure luck, which a real answer should beat. Phrases: a good guesser, a lucky guesser, a wild guesser.

Examples

• She is a great guesser at riddles. tree →
• A lucky guesser might get one in four answers right on a quiz. tree →
• The longest-answer guesser is the score to beat. tree →
• In the game, the guesser has to find the hidden word. tree →
• Dad is a terrible guesser of people's ages. tree →
• Be a smart guesser: estimate first, then check. tree →

Note

Plural: guessers. From «guess» + -er. In maths, a sensible guess is called an estimate; checking it with a calculation is good practice. With 4 options, pure guessing gets about 1 in 4 (25%) right on average.