7 Ways To Increase Your 'Pretty Little Liars' IQ

If, like me, you're a fan of Pretty Little Liars , then you must be absolutely dying of cliffhanger-induced curiosity right now — we all are. But there is one distinction among us, so I have to ask, what degree of fan of you? When it comes down to it, there are certain things that separate being a PLL fan and a PLL super-fan. I mean, a regular fan is probably obsessed with Haleb and really into whatever crazy new outfit Aria happens to be wearing this week, but a super-fan? A super-fan's into Haleb and Aria's insane fashion (of course), but they're also out in the trenches, combing message boards, obsessing over anagrams, and concocting new theories by the bushel. It's a tough road to walk, sure, but it can be a rewarding one.

Now, you may have zero interest in making the leap from fan to super-fan (getting sucked into various Tumblr theories at 2 a.m. does take its toll, after all), but if you do, here are several tips on how to increase your Pretty Little Liars IQ. Because, everyone wants to be the Spencer of their friends group, right?

1. Read The Books

What better place to get the skinny on Rosewood than the original source, Sara Shepard's Pretty Little Liars novel series? Of course at this point, the show has diverged so far from the books that it's a bit moot — but there are still lots of tidbits you can get from them. Actually, lot of the twin theories circulating around Charles stem from the fact that, in the books, Ali has an evil twin.

Plus, they're fun as all heck to read (who doesn't love soapy YA??).

2. Re-Watch Old Episodes

Knowing what we do now (namely the fact that CHARLES EXISTS), certain episodes have a surprising amount of hidden clues. Take for instance the Halloween episode "This Is A Dark Ride." If you take a second look, you'll find hints that point to Charles — and that was way back in Season 3. Crazy, right?

There's also a fact that Charles may or may not be one and the same as The Great Charlemagne in "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" from Season 4.

3. Get Comfortable On Tumblr

If you ever have a certain theory you want validated, search the character in question on Tumblr, and you'll likely find several blogs that are saying the same thing. There are some really great resources out there — blogs like rosewood-clues have a lot of intriguing ideas.

4. ...And On Reddit

Like Tumblr, the PLL subreddit is a veritable haven of theories. Plus, I. Marlene King recently did a Reddit AMA that was positively overflowing with cryptic answers and puzzling clues! Speaking of which...

5. Listen To Every Single Thing I. Marlene King Says

Take NOTHING King says, anytime, anywhere lightly — almost everything she says means something more than it seems, so her Twitter account is the stuff of a PLL fan's dreams (and nightmares).

6. Follow The Cast's Social Media Too

While they have a little less freedom to start rumors, you can glean a lot from the cast's social media accounts as well. Case in point? Many fans were wondering if Mona was going to be killed off (again), because she wasn't back in Rosewood yet. Actor Janel Parrish cleared things up quickly with an IG alongside castmate Elizabeth McLaughlin.

7. Read Bustle!

Shameless plug time! No, but in all seriousness, Bustle is home to some of the best theories I've come across. You know how King's always saying that some people have already guessed/come close to guessing A's true identity/backstory/motive/whole deal? Well, let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if she might be referring to one of my fellow Bustle contributors.

Images: Eric McCandless/ABC; Giphy (7)