wild card
Anything-goes game piece
A wild card is a playing card that can represent any card the holder chooses, or by extension, anything unpredictable that might affect an outcome: The weather is the wild card in tomorrow's plans.
In computing, a wild card is a character (often an asterisk) that matches any string of text.
In sports, a wild card is a team or player admitted to a tournament despite not qualifying through standard means: They made the playoffs as a wild card.
Cutup or wild card
- unknownNot yet discovered
- variableProne to fluctuation
- randomOccurring without pattern
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
curveball · twist · surprise · gamble · risk · chance · uncertainty · volatility
Cutup or wild card
What takes another's place
- stand-inTemporary human placeholder
- alternateOccur in succession
- fill-inTemporary substitute person
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
reserve · understudy · pinch-hitter · relief · surrogate · proxy · placeholder · stopgap
Earned tournament qualification
- seedingPlanting or ranking
- bracketSupport or category
- tournamentMulti-round competitive event
- qualifierWord or phrase limiting meaning
berth · entry · selection · draft pick · postseason · championship · contender · underdog
Amorphous soft mass
- patternRecurring arrangement or template
- asteriskTypographical reference mark
- regexText-matching notation
- searchAct of seeking
query · filter · match · placeholder · syntax · boolean · operator · string
Favorable position or circumstance
- leverageBorrowed capital for amplified returns
- ace in the holeSecret decisive advantage
- contingencyUncertain possible event
- insuranceContractual risk coverage
fallback · option · flexibility · maneuver · gambit · play · move · tactic
joker
Cutup or wild card
chaos · curveball · twist · surprise · gamble · risk · chance · uncertainty · volatility · instability
joker
Cutup or wild card
hand · deck · shuffle · deal · bet · ante · fold · raise · bluff · jackpot
replacement
What takes another's place
backup · reserve · understudy · pinch-hitter · relief · surrogate · proxy · placeholder · stopgap · spare
playoff spot
Earned tournament qualification
- seedingPlanting or ranking
- bracketSupport or category
- tournamentMulti-round competitive event
qualifier · berth · entry · selection · draft pick · postseason · championship · contender · underdog · Cinderella
glob
Amorphous soft mass
- patternRecurring arrangement or template
- asteriskTypographical reference mark
- regexText-matching notation
search · query · filter · match · placeholder · syntax · boolean · operator · string · filename
advantage
Favorable position or circumstance
- leverageBorrowed capital for amplified returns
- ace in the holeSecret decisive advantage
- contingencyUncertain possible event
insurance · fallback · option · flexibility · maneuver · gambit · play · move · tactic · edge
- card gamespoker, blackjack, solitaire, hearts, spades
- pokerblinds, all-in, all in, call, fold
- card termsace, pair, flush, king of hearts, straight
- sports idiomsdrop the ball, throw in the towel, slam dunk, out of left field, level playing field
- UNO cardsred cards, yellow cards, green cards, zero, one
- Secret Advantagessecret weapon, ace, hidden talent, hidden asset, leverage
wild cardsure thing
Guaranteed outcome or agreement
certainty · known quantity · safe bet · foregone conclusion · constant