How the daily streak works and how to keep it
Next to the PokèVerba crossword there is a number that grows day after day: your streak. It’s the simplest way to turn an occasional game into a habit. Here is how it works, what makes it climb, what resets it and what it gives you along the way.
How the streak is counted
There is only one rule: the streak goes up by one if you completed the crossword yesterday, otherwise it starts again from one. What counts is consecutive days on which you filled the whole grid.
Two details worth knowing:
- the streak updates only when you complete the crossword: catching Pokémon, however many, doesn’t touch it;
- if you use “Show solution” (it costs 40 tokens) the game ends, but the streak doesn’t move forward.
If you haven’t played yet today, the chip at the top keeps showing yesterday’s value: you have until midnight to hold on to it. If you’ve missed a whole day, the streak goes back to zero and starts again from one at your next game.
The day changes at midnight in Rome
The date rolls over according to the Rome clock, not yours: the new crossword appears at midnight Italian time. If you play from outside Italy, keep the time zone in mind, because “yesterday” for the streak is Rome’s yesterday. If you play very late or very early, always check which crossword you have in front of you.
The milestones
At certain thresholds the streak earns you a reward in tokens.
- 3 days: +15 tokens;
- 7 days: +30 tokens;
- 30 days: +100 tokens.
On top of these come the daily missions: completing the crossword is worth +10, completing it without help another +10, and catching a new Pokémon +5. Tokens unlock helpers, so a long streak also makes you play better.
Where your streak lives
PokèVerba has no accounts: the streak is saved in your browser. That has a convenient side (no sign-up, no personal data) and one to remember: if you switch browser, switch device or clear the site’s data, the streak resets. If you care about it, always play from the same browser and don’t clear the site’s browsing data.
How not to lose it
A few practical tricks:
- play at the same time every day, for example with your coffee: a routine beats willpower;
- if you’re in a hurry, fill in the words you know first and leave the hard ones for later: a partial game doesn’t count, so set aside two full minutes;
- don’t use “Show solution” to save the streak: it won’t help, because it doesn’t move it forward. Better to use a cheaper helper (a letter costs 5 tokens, a word 15), or reread the strategies to complete the crossword;
- remember the date change at midnight in Rome, especially late in the evening.
Why it’s worth keeping
There is only one crossword a day, and that is exactly why it lends itself to a habit: two or three minutes, always at the same time, are enough to keep the streak alive. Within a week you notice that you recognise clues faster, remember the names that keep coming up and have learned to read height, weight, types and habitats. The streak is the thread that holds all this together, and the number going up is just the reminder.
There is a shareable side too: the summary you copy at the end of a game includes the “Streak: N days” line, so you can challenge friends to beat you without showing anything personal.
What if it breaks?
It happens to everyone, and it isn’t a tragedy. The streak restarts from one and the milestones are within reach again: three days is nothing. The advice is to treat the streak as a game within the game, not as an obligation. If you’re new to PokèVerba, the complete guide to how to play explains every part of the screen.
The best way to start is always the same: open today’s crossword, finish it, and tomorrow you’ll already be on two.