> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/igorek05m/daily-geogame/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick start

> Learn how to play Daily GeoGame and complete your first daily geography challenge

# Quick start guide

Get started with Daily GeoGame in minutes. This guide will walk you through accessing the game, making your first guess, understanding the feedback, and tracking your statistics.

## Playing your first game

<Steps>
  <Step title="Access the game">
    Visit [https://daily-geogame.vercel.app](https://daily-geogame.vercel.app) in your web browser. You'll immediately see:

    * The current day number (days since Feb 18, 2026)
    * An interactive world map
    * A country input field
    * One unlocked hint

    No login or account creation required - just start playing!
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make your first guess">
    In the guess input field at the top of the game:

    1. Start typing a country name (e.g., "France", "Japan", "Brazil")
    2. Select from the autocomplete suggestions that appear
    3. Press Enter or click to submit your guess

    The game supports all 195+ countries recognized in the RestCountries database.

    <Note>
      You can't guess the same country twice. The game will alert you if you try to submit a duplicate.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Read the feedback">
    After submitting your guess, you'll receive immediate feedback:

    **Guess list feedback**:

    * **Green check icon**: You guessed correctly! You've won the game.
    * **Yellow pin icon**: Your guess borders the target country (neighboring country)
    * **Orange globe icon**: Your guess is in the same subregion as the target
    * **Red globe icon**: Your guess is in the same region as the target
    * **Red X icon**: No geographic connection

    **Distance & direction**:

    * Distance in kilometers from your guess to the target country
    * Arrow showing the bearing/direction to the target
    * Distances under 2,000 km appear in orange (you're getting close!)

    **Map visualization**:

    * Your guessed country is highlighted on the interactive map
    * Neighboring countries may be shown in different colors
    * Zoom and pan to explore geographic relationships
  </Step>

  <Step title="Unlock and use hints">
    Each guess unlocks a new hint from the CIA World Factbook. You start with 1 hint unlocked and can unlock up to 6 total.

    **Hint types include**:

    * Climate information
    * Terrain and geography
    * GDP and economic data
    * Population statistics
    * Natural resources
    * Land use and agriculture

    Hints are displayed in the "Unlocked Hints" section. Locked hints show as blurred text with an unlock requirement (e.g., "Unlocks at guess #3").

    <Tip>
      Read all unlocked hints carefully before your next guess. They often contain specific clues that can narrow down your options significantly.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Continue guessing">
    You have up to 6 total guesses to identify the target country. With each guess:

    1. A new hint unlocks
    2. Your guess appears in the guess list with feedback
    3. The map updates to show your guess
    4. Distance and direction help you navigate

    **The game ends when**:

    * You guess the correct country (win!)
    * You've used all 6 guesses without finding the answer
  </Step>

  <Step title="View your statistics">
    When the game ends, a statistics modal automatically appears showing:

    **Your stats**:

    * Total games played
    * Total wins
    * Win rate percentage

    **Global stats for this day**:

    * Total players who attempted the challenge
    * Total winners
    * Global win rate
    * Guess distribution (how many players won on guess 1, 2, 3, etc.)

    You can reopen the stats modal anytime by clicking the stats icon in the header.

    <Note>
      Statistics are saved in your browser and synced via an anonymous session ID. No personal data is collected.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Understanding the interface

### Game header

The header displays:

* **Day number**: Days since the game started (Feb 18, 2026)
* **Navigation arrows**: Browse previous days' challenges
* **Calendar icon**: Jump to a specific date
* **Stats icon**: View your statistics and global leaderboard
* **Today button**: Return to the current day's challenge

### Interactive map

The map section shows:

* A zoomable, pannable SVG world map
* Highlighted countries based on your guesses
* Visual indicators for geographic relationships
* "INTERACTIVE MAP" label at the top

<Tip>
  Use pinch-to-zoom on mobile or scroll wheel on desktop to zoom in on specific regions.
</Tip>

### Hints section

The hints grid displays 6 hint cards (2 columns on desktop, 1 on mobile):

* **Unlocked hints**: Show the hint category, label, and full text
* **Locked hints**: Display blurred placeholder text and unlock requirements
* Hints reveal progressively as you make guesses

### Guess list

Your guesses appear in reverse chronological order (newest first):

* Numbered from 1 to 6
* Color-coded icons indicate geographic relationships
* Distance and direction shown for incorrect guesses
* Empty slots show remaining attempts

## Tips for success

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Start broad, then narrow down">
    Begin with guesses from different continents to understand the general region. Use the distance feedback to zero in on the correct area.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Read hints carefully">
    Hints contain specific details like "tropical climate", "landlocked", or "major oil exporter" that can eliminate hundreds of countries.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use the map strategically">
    Pay attention to highlighted neighboring countries and regional connections. The visual feedback often reveals more than just the distance numbers.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Consider all feedback types">
    Distance, direction, regional connection, AND hints all provide valuable clues. Combine them to make educated guesses.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Learn from previous days">
    You can navigate to previous challenges using the arrows in the header. This is great for practice and learning new geographic facts.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="When does the daily challenge reset?">
    A new country is selected every day at midnight UTC. The day number increments, and everyone worldwide gets the same challenge.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I play previous days?">
    Yes! Use the navigation arrows or calendar icon in the header to access any day since the game started (Feb 18, 2026).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I close the browser?">
    Your progress is automatically saved. When you return, you'll see your previous guesses and unlocked hints for that day.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How is my data stored?">
    Progress is saved locally in your browser and synced to the server using an anonymous session ID. No personal information or login is required.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if I can't find a country?">
    The autocomplete search supports all countries in the RestCountries database. Try different spellings or the country's official name (e.g., "Myanmar" vs "Burma").
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## What's next?

Now that you know the basics, you can:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Learn advanced strategies" icon="graduation-cap" href="/gameplay/tips-strategies">
    Master the game with detailed strategy guides
  </Card>

  <Card title="Explore all features" icon="compass" href="/features/daily-challenge">
    Discover map controls, statistics, and more
  </Card>

  <Card title="Understand the data" icon="database" href="/development/data-sources">
    Learn about CIA World Factbook and RestCountries
  </Card>

  <Card title="Play now" icon="play" href="https://daily-geogame.vercel.app">
    Start today's challenge
  </Card>
</CardGroup>