What Is A Bridge Player Called?

Ok – what do you call a bridge player?  This sometimes comes up in cryptic crosswords.

People are expecting the answer to be something clever or funny.  “A bridgeist” “plain mad!!” – I’m sure you can think of a whole host of clever, funny or just facetious answers.

The reality is much more mundane and most crossword compilers are after the simplest of the answers.  Bridge is played by 4 players who sit around a table playing in pairs.  Each player is named after a point on the compass – north, south, east or west.  Or more likely for crossword purposes – N, S, E or W.

Cryptic crossword compilers enjoy using as many words as possible for the shortest possible answer.  Most will simply ask you for a point of the compass or a direction – but some will ask you for a bridge player – all to get you to add an n, or an s, or an e or a w to your answer.

Depending on your crossword there are some other possible answers – in each game one player is called “declarer”, one is called “responder”, one is “dummy” (although strictly speaking dummy isn’t a player as that hand is played by dummy’s partner, the declarer) and declarer’s opponents are “defenders”.

So now you know what a bridge player is called – are you curious to have a go at learning bridge?  Go on, it’s fun.  Take a look at No Fear Bridge – where you can join for a 2 week free trial to see if you think you might enjoy learning bridge.  There’s no obligation – no financial or card details are taken.  If you don’t want to become a full member your membership will just lapse.