When two or more candidates have the same score in a game or competition, a tie-breaker is often needed to determine the winner. However, there are other words and phrases that can be used to describe this situation. For instance, a decider, sudden death, playoff, extra time, or tie-break can also be used as synonyms for tie-breaker. In business or politics, a deadlock or stalemate can also be used when two or more parties are equally matched and cannot come to an agreement. Regardless of the terminology used, the ultimate goal of these mechanisms is to produce a clear winner or outcome.