Every debate, code review, and office meeting runs on the same hidden mechanics: someone makes a claim, someone pushes back, and the quality of the exchange depends on spotting why an argument works — or fails. Rhetoric and informal-logic courses (Aristotle's Rhetorica, the "topos" of argumentation, Toulmin's claim–evidence–warrant model) teach this, but almost always through reading. Prompt Parry turns it into a turn-based duel: you see an argument in the wild, you name its flaw, and you craft a counter in your own words.
What is it?
An 8-round rhetorical sparring match on a single topic. Each round, the Opponent (a fictional "rival duelist") makes a statement. You alternate between two combat modes:
DEFENSE (Parry) — the opponent's statement contains a logical fallacy or rhetorical trick. Identify which one from the Field Guide, then write a one-sentence rebuttal that names and turns the flaw.
OFFENSE (Press) — the opponent throws a challenge back at your position. You must hold a defensible stance on the topic — and avoid using the very fallacies you just debunked.
Points are scored for correct identification and for counter-arguments that mention the key counter-themes. A full analysis of both sides is revealed after every round, so the game is a study guide as much as a game.
How does it work?
Each round is a data object: a statement, the fallacy it commits (defense) or the challenge it poses (offense), the key themes of a good parry, a full analysis of the opponent's move, and a model counter-argument. Identification is matched against the fallacy's name and aliases; counter-arguments are scored by counting how many key themes (checked case-insensitively, with simple stemming) your text covers. No external APIs — everything runs in the browser, and the opponent's "AI" is a handcrafted argument graph, not a language model. Rounds alternate offense and defense so the duel stays symmetrical.
How to use it
Read the Duel Topic banner — that's the debate you're in.
Read the opponent's statement in the red bubble.
On DEFENSE rounds: pick the trick from the Field Guide at the bottom, type its name, and write a parry that addresses the key themes shown in the prompt. On OFFENSE rounds: argue your side of the topic in 1–3 sentences.
Click PARRY (or press Enter). Get feedback, read the verdict, then continue to the next round.
Stuck? 💡 Hint narrows the field; 📜 Reveal Analysis shows the full breakdown (and ends the round without points).
After 8 rounds you'll know who won the duel. ⚔️ Rematch reshuffles the rounds.