diff --git a/components/AudioPlayer.tsx b/components/AudioPlayer.tsx
index 32056ab..5e0a528 100644
--- a/components/AudioPlayer.tsx
+++ b/components/AudioPlayer.tsx
@@ -9,9 +9,10 @@ interface AudioPlayerProps {
     onPlay?: () => void;
     onReplay?: () => void;
     autoPlay?: boolean;
+    onHasPlayedChange?: (hasPlayed: boolean) => void;
 }
 
-export default function AudioPlayer({ src, unlockedSeconds, startTime = 0, onPlay, onReplay, autoPlay = false }: AudioPlayerProps) {
+export default function AudioPlayer({ src, unlockedSeconds, startTime = 0, onPlay, onReplay, autoPlay = false, onHasPlayedChange }: AudioPlayerProps) {
     const audioRef = useRef<HTMLAudioElement>(null);
     const [isPlaying, setIsPlaying] = useState(false);
     const [progress, setProgress] = useState(0);
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ export default function AudioPlayer({ src, unlockedSeconds, startTime = 0, onPla
             setIsPlaying(false);
             setProgress(0);
             setHasPlayedOnce(false); // Reset for new segment
+            onHasPlayedChange?.(false); // Notify parent
 
             if (autoPlay) {
                 const playPromise = audioRef.current.play();
@@ -33,6 +35,7 @@ export default function AudioPlayer({ src, unlockedSeconds, startTime = 0, onPla
                             setIsPlaying(true);
                             onPlay?.();
                             setHasPlayedOnce(true);
+                            onHasPlayedChange?.(true); // Notify parent
                         })
                         .catch(error => {
                             console.log("Autoplay prevented:", error);
@@ -56,6 +59,7 @@ export default function AudioPlayer({ src, unlockedSeconds, startTime = 0, onPla
                 onReplay?.();
             } else {
                 setHasPlayedOnce(true);
+                onHasPlayedChange?.(true); // Notify parent
             }
         }
         setIsPlaying(!isPlaying);
diff --git a/components/Game.tsx b/components/Game.tsx
index 7aec342..1171672 100644
--- a/components/Game.tsx
+++ b/components/Game.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ export default function Game({ dailyPuzzle, genre = null, isSpecial = false, max
     const [timeUntilNext, setTimeUntilNext] = useState('');
     const [hasRated, setHasRated] = useState(false);
     const [showYearModal, setShowYearModal] = useState(false);
+    const [hasPlayedAudio, setHasPlayedAudio] = useState(false);
 
     useEffect(() => {
         const updateCountdown = () => {
@@ -116,7 +117,19 @@ export default function Game({ dailyPuzzle, genre = null, isSpecial = false, max
         setTimeout(() => setIsProcessingGuess(false), 500);
     };
 
+    const handleStartAudio = () => {
+        // This will be called when user clicks "Start" button on first attempt
+        // We'll trigger the audio player programmatically
+        setHasPlayedAudio(true);
+    };
+
     const handleSkip = () => {
+        // If user hasn't played audio yet on first attempt, start it instead of skipping
+        if (gameState.guesses.length === 0 && !hasPlayedAudio) {
+            handleStartAudio();
+            return;
+        }
+
         setLastAction('SKIP');
         addGuess("SKIPPED", false);
 
@@ -255,8 +268,9 @@ export default function Game({ dailyPuzzle, genre = null, isSpecial = false, max
                         src={dailyPuzzle.audioUrl}
                         unlockedSeconds={unlockedSeconds}
                         startTime={dailyPuzzle.startTime}
-                        autoPlay={lastAction === 'SKIP' || (lastAction === 'GUESS' && !hasWon && !hasLost)}
+                        autoPlay={lastAction === 'SKIP' || (lastAction === 'GUESS' && !hasWon && !hasLost) || hasPlayedAudio}
                         onReplay={addReplay}
+                        onHasPlayedChange={setHasPlayedAudio}
                     />
                 </div>
 
@@ -282,7 +296,10 @@ export default function Game({ dailyPuzzle, genre = null, isSpecial = false, max
                                 onClick={handleSkip}
                                 className="skip-button"
                             >
-                                Skip (+{unlockSteps[Math.min(gameState.guesses.length + 1, unlockSteps.length - 1)] - unlockedSeconds}s)
+                                {gameState.guesses.length === 0 && !hasPlayedAudio
+                                    ? 'Start'
+                                    : `Skip (+${unlockSteps[Math.min(gameState.guesses.length + 1, unlockSteps.length - 1)] - unlockedSeconds}s)`
+                                }
                             </button>
                         ) : (
                             <button