LinkedIn Pinpoint Answer for September 21, 2025
LINKEDIN PINPOINT CLUES
September 21, 2025
Love
All
Advantage
Fifteen
Deuce
Clue Meanings Explained
Love
In the context of sports, specifically tennis, "love" represents a score of zero. It is widely believed to have originated from the French word "l'oeuf," meaning "the egg," because an egg looks like a zero.
All
This term is used to describe a tied score during a game. For example, if both players have won one point each, the score is announced as "15-all," indicating that the standing is equal for both sides.
Advantage
This refers to the point scored immediately after a deuce. If the player who has the "advantage" wins the next point, they win the game; if they lose it, the score returns to deuce.
Fifteen
This is the numerical value assigned to the first point won by a player in a standard game of tennis. Instead of counting 1, 2, 3, tennis uses a unique sequence starting with 15.
Deuce
This is a specific scoreline of 40-40. At this stage, a player must win two consecutive points to win the game, rather than just the next single point.
The Solve: A Tale of Wrong Turns
When the first clue "Love" popped up, my brain went in a few different directions. Being a Pinpoint veteran, I knew it probably wasn't about romance. I immediately thought of two things: tennis or maybe wedding anniversaries. But "Love" is such a common word that I didn't want to jump the gun and waste a guess.
Then came the second clue: "All." This was a bit of a curveball. "Love-all" is definitely a tennis thing, but "all" is also used in so many other phrases like "All-star" or "All-in." I started wondering if we were looking at phrases that start with these words. I almost considered "Types of feelings" or "Generic descriptors," but I decided to wait for one more clue to be sure.
The third clue, "Advantage," was the absolute clincher. As soon as that word hit the screen, the tennis connection became undeniable. "Advantage in" and "Advantage out" are classic officiating calls. At this point, I was 95% sure we were looking at tennis scoring, but I wanted to see how the rest of the clues fit into the puzzle's logic.
When "Fifteen" and "Deuce" appeared, it was just a victory lap. These are the "meat and potatoes" of a tennis scoreboard. It’s interesting how the puzzle starts with the most ambiguous term and slowly narrows it down until there's only one possible answer. I felt confident typing in "Tennis scoring terms" because every single clue fits perfectly into that specific niche of sports terminology.
Lessons Learned From Today's Pinpoint Solution
Wait for the "Anchor" Word: Some clues like "Love" or "All" have dozens of meanings. It’s usually the third clue that acts as the "anchor" to lock in the specific category. Don't rush your first guess until you see a word with a more limited scope.
Think About Niche Vocabulary: Sports often have their own unique language. When you see numbers mixed with strange nouns (like Fifteen and Love), your first thought should be to check if they belong to a specific game or hobby's scoring system.
Context is King: "All" is a very weak clue on its own, but when paired with "Love" and "Fifteen," its meaning shifts entirely from a general quantifier to a specific scoring term. Always look at how the clues interact with each other rather than looking at them in isolation.
Identify the Pattern Early: Once you see two words from the same world (like Advantage and Deuce), stop looking for alternative meanings and start focusing on that specific theme. It saves a lot of mental energy.
Expert Q&A
Why is the word "Love" used instead of "Zero" in tennis?
Most historians believe it comes from the French word for egg, "l'oeuf," because the shape of an egg resembles a zero. Over time, English speakers mispronounced it as "love," and the name stuck.
Does "All" apply to every score in a tennis match?
It applies to scores that are tied up until 30-30 (15-all, 30-all). Once the score reaches 40-40, it is specifically called "Deuce" instead of "40-all."
What is the difference between "Advantage In" and "Advantage Out"?
"Advantage In" (or Ad-In) means the server has the lead after a deuce. "Advantage Out" (or Ad-Out) means the receiver has the lead and is one point away from breaking the server's game.
Why does tennis scoring go from 15 to 30 and then 40?
While there are many theories, the most popular one is that it was originally based on a clock face. Points were moved in 15-minute increments (15, 30, 45), but 45 was eventually shortened to 40 for easier calling during matches.
Can a game have more than one Deuce?
Yes, a game can go back and forth between Deuce and Advantage indefinitely until one player manages to win two points in a row. Some professional games have been known to have over a dozen deuces!