Test Your Interviewing IQ: The Science-Based Interviewing Crossword Challenge

Science-Based Interviewing is more than a skill, it’s a mindset built on curiosity, adaptability, and evidence. The best law enforcement investigators, interviewers, and HR professionals know that reliable information doesn’t come from tricks or guesswork. It comes from applying research-based communication strategies that strengthen trust, accuracy, and recall.

Science-Based Interviewing Crossword

This interactive crossword is designed to help you explore the core elements of effective interviewing, including rapport-building, funnel questioning, and memory-based retrieval techniques.  Each clue connects to a principle that supports how investigators and communicators gather truthful, detailed information.

When you practice these concepts, you’re reinforcing the foundations of what makes great interviews work: open-ended questions, empathy, structure, and adaptability.  These aren’t just skills for law enforcement; they’re critical tools in business, HR, compliance, and any role that depends on sound decision-making.

You’ll find clues tied to active listening, TEDS-style questions, cognitive interviewing, and the psychology of rapport and memory.  Every answer is based on the science of good communication between people, which is what you learn in Science-Based Interviewing (SBI) and is backed by research funded by the FBI’s High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group.

So grab a coffee, flex your investigative mindset, and see how many you can get right. Whether you’re a detective, interviewer, or lifelong learner, this is your chance to think like a scientist, not a script.

Think you’ve mastered science-based interviewing? Keep practicing. Each term in this crossword connects to real-world skills that improve credibility, reduce bias, and build stronger case outcomes. Explore more on active listening, rapport, cognitive interviewing, and strategic questioning through the resources and workshops and at Project Aletheia (train-the-trainer classes)—where research meets real-world interviewing.