7 tips for cleaner cuts

Cut where the shape is narrow, trade bumps for bulges, never forget the holes: seven simple habits that will get your cuts closer to 50/50.

1. Put your cut where the shape is narrow

This is the most useful tip, and the least obvious one. When you shift a line by a small step, the area that switches sides is roughly that step times the length of the line inside the shape. So a cut through a narrow section is far more forgiving: the same mistake in position costs you fewer percentage points.

Pick your angle so the perfect cut crosses the shape where it’s thin. On an hourglass shape, going through the waist instead of across the wide parts can make your mistakes two or three times cheaper.

2. On a long shape, cut across

Same idea. A lengthwise line runs through a lot of shape, so a tiny shift moves a lot of area. A crosswise line is short, so it’s forgiving. Bonus: two chunky ends are easier to compare than two long, skinny halves.

3. Break it into simple shapes

Before you swipe, split the shape in your head into rectangles and triangles. Size each one up, then sort them onto either side of your line. A triangle is half the rectangle around it, and that’s often where the precision is won or lost.

4. Trade bumps for bulges

Don’t look for perfect symmetry. Look for trades. A bump on the left of your line can be balanced by a flatter but longer bulge on the right. Tally up what sticks out on each side instead of judging the overall silhouette.

5. Subtract the holes

A hole isn’t shape. The side with the hole has to look bigger to hold the same amount of area. A good habit: place your line as if the hole weren’t there, then slide it toward the side with the hole.

6. Don’t trust the spikes

Spikes, skinny arms and capes catch your eye but don’t weigh much. Judge them by their width, not their length. A long, thin point often counts for less than a small, thick bulge near the middle.

7. Learn from the perfect cut

After every cut, DemiSemi draws the perfect cut at your angle as a dotted line and tells you how far apart the two lines are. Check which way you missed. Lots of players have a consistent bias, always toward the thicker part or always toward the longer one. Spotting yours is half the fix.

Want to practice with no pressure? Past days can be played and replayed as often as you like.