How We Check

The basic rule

No number on the site without a source. Every puzzle links to its source and the date it was last checked; a number we can't find a reliable source for isn't used, and we never guess. Tests run before every update of the site, and they fail if a puzzle is missing a source.

Sources, in order

For numbers and transfers: Transfermarkt first, then Flashscore, FotMob and Sofascore, and Wikipedia last. For national-team scorer lists: RSSSF's national-team record pages, with Wikipedia's tables. For match line-ups and player data (clubs, national teams, titles): Wikipedia pages, keeping a link to the exact version we used.

When sources disagree

Every player's career is checked on Wikipedia and on his Transfermarkt transfer history; when they disagree, Transfermarkt wins. For national-team goals, when the federation's count and FIFA's count differ, we use FIFA's. For Egypt's caps and goals we compare RSSSF with Wikipedia and, when they differ, Transfermarkt decides if its number is plausible. Each of these cases is recorded with its reason.

Top 10 lists

Each list has a main source and an independent second one. A list is played only if both agree on who is in the ten, and if there's a tie for 10th place, all the tied names are shown. Lists with a problem or a doubt stay out of the game until it's settled.

Player careers

A career = the senior clubs in order, without youth teams; a reserve team counts with the first team. Loans are marked, and a loan that became a permanent move at the same club is one step. A club that changed its name appears under its new name, with the old one in brackets.

Badges and photos

Badges come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences where available, otherwise from Wikipedia, and every badge has a source on the sources and badge credits page. Player photos come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences only.

Difficulty

We measure how well known a player or club is by the yearly views of their page on Arabic and English Wikipedia, giving Egyptian, Arab and African clubs and players more weight because our players know them better. We also follow every puzzle's results: if one turns out too easy or too hard, we adjust the coming puzzles.

Fixes

When someone reports a mistake through the "Found a mistake or have an idea?" box, we check it against the sources. If it is a mistake we fix it, and data fixes start the next day so today's puzzle doesn't change for the people playing it. Examples of fixes are listed in Updates.