diff --git a/src/app/api/guess/route.ts b/src/app/api/guess/route.ts
index a66e6f9..a5a664a 100644
--- a/src/app/api/guess/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/guess/route.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { authOptions } from "@/lib/auth";
 import { findDiscordMember } from "@/lib/members";
-import type { Match } from "@/types";
 import { getServerSession } from "next-auth/next";
 import { NextResponse } from "next/server";
 
@@ -10,6 +9,11 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
     return new Response("Unauthorized", { status: 401 });
   }
   const { input, guessedIds } = await request.json();
-  const match: Match = await findDiscordMember(input, guessedIds);
-  return NextResponse.json(match);
+
+  try {
+    return NextResponse.json(await findDiscordMember(input, guessedIds));
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error("Error finding Discord member:", error);
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: "Failed to look up member" }, { status: 503 });
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/app/lib/members.ts b/src/app/lib/members.ts
index 0062aa7..38f738a 100644
--- a/src/app/lib/members.ts
+++ b/src/app/lib/members.ts
@@ -57,124 +57,55 @@ function getDisplayName(member: DiscordGuildMember): string {
   return member.nick || member.user.global_name || member.user.username;
 }
 
-function normalizeInput(input: string): string {
-  return input.toLowerCase().trim();
-}
-
 function memberMatchesInput(member: DiscordGuildMember, normalizedInput: string): boolean {
-  const username = member.user.username.toLowerCase();
-  const globalName = member.user.global_name?.toLowerCase() || "";
-  const nickname = member.nick?.toLowerCase() || "";
-
-  return username === normalizedInput || globalName === normalizedInput || nickname === normalizedInput;
+  return [member.user.username, member.user.global_name, member.nick].some(
+    (name) => name?.toLowerCase() === normalizedInput,
+  );
 }
 
 export async function getPayingMemberCount(): Promise<number> {
-  const payingMemberRoleId = process.env.DISCORD_REQUIRED_ROLE_ID;
-  if (!payingMemberRoleId) {
-    throw new Error("Missing DISCORD_REQUIRED_ROLE_ID environment variable");
-  }
+  const payingMemberRoleId = requireEnv("DISCORD_REQUIRED_ROLE_ID");
   const members = await getDiscordMembers();
   return members.filter((m) => m.roles.includes(payingMemberRoleId)).length;
 }
 
-export async function findDiscordMember(input: string, guessedIds: string[] = []): Promise<Match> {
-  const payingMemberRoleId = process.env.DISCORD_REQUIRED_ROLE_ID;
+export async function findDiscordMember(input: string, guessedIds: string[]): Promise<Match> {
+  const payingMemberRoleId = requireEnv("DISCORD_REQUIRED_ROLE_ID");
+  const normalizedInput = input.toLowerCase().trim();
+  const guessed = new Set(guessedIds);
 
-  if (!payingMemberRoleId) {
-    console.error("Missing required Discord environment variables");
+  const candidates = (await getDiscordMembers()).filter((member) => memberMatchesInput(member, normalizedInput));
+  const isPaying = (member: DiscordGuildMember) => member.roles.includes(payingMemberRoleId);
+  const isUnguessed = (member: DiscordGuildMember) => !guessed.has(member.user.id);
+
+  const member =
+    candidates.find((m) => isPaying(m) && isUnguessed(m)) ??
+    candidates.find((m) => !isPaying(m) && isUnguessed(m)) ??
+    candidates.find(isPaying) ??
+    candidates[0];
+
+  if (!member) {
+    return { input, name: undefined, description: undefined, correct: false };
+  }
+
+  const name = getDisplayName(member);
+
+  if (!isPaying(member)) {
     return {
+      id: member.user.id,
       input,
-      name: undefined,
+      name,
       description: undefined,
+      translationKey: "notPayingMember",
       correct: false,
     };
   }
 
-  try {
-    const members = await getDiscordMembers();
-    const normalizedInput = normalizeInput(input);
-
-    const allMatchingMembers = members.filter((member) => memberMatchesInput(member, normalizedInput));
-
-    if (allMatchingMembers.length === 0) {
-      return { input, name: undefined, description: undefined, correct: false };
-    }
-
-    const payingMembers = allMatchingMembers.filter((member) => member.roles.includes(payingMemberRoleId));
-    const nonPayingMembers = allMatchingMembers.filter((member) => !member.roles.includes(payingMemberRoleId));
-
-    const unguessedPayingMember = payingMembers.find((member) => !guessedIds.includes(member.user.id));
-
-    if (unguessedPayingMember) {
-      const displayName = getDisplayName(unguessedPayingMember);
-      const username = unguessedPayingMember.user.username;
-
-      return {
-        id: unguessedPayingMember.user.id,
-        input,
-        name: displayName,
-        description: displayName === username ? undefined : username,
-        correct: true,
-      };
-    }
-
-    const unguessedNonPayingMember = nonPayingMembers.find((member) => !guessedIds.includes(member.user.id));
-
-    if (unguessedNonPayingMember) {
-      return {
-        id: unguessedNonPayingMember.user.id,
-        input,
-        name: getDisplayName(unguessedNonPayingMember),
-        description: undefined,
-        translationKey: "notPayingMember",
-        correct: false,
-      };
-    }
-
-    // If we are here, all matching members (paying or not) have been guessed.
-    // Return the first paying member match to signal a duplicate to the client.
-    if (payingMembers.length > 0) {
-      const firstPayingMatch = payingMembers[0];
-      const displayName = getDisplayName(firstPayingMatch);
-      const username = firstPayingMatch.user.username;
-
-      return {
-        id: firstPayingMatch.user.id,
-        input,
-        name: displayName,
-        description: displayName === username ? undefined : username,
-        correct: true, // It is a correct member, but already guessed.
-      };
-    }
-
-    // If no paying members matched, return the first non-paying member.
-    if (nonPayingMembers.length > 0) {
-      const firstNonPayingMatch = nonPayingMembers[0];
-      return {
-        id: firstNonPayingMatch.user.id,
-        input,
-        name: getDisplayName(firstNonPayingMatch),
-        description: undefined,
-        translationKey: "notPayingMember",
-        correct: false,
-      };
-    }
-
-    // Should not be reached if allMatchingMembers.length > 0
-    return {
-      input,
-      name: undefined,
-      description: undefined,
-      correct: false,
-    };
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error("Error finding Discord member:", error);
-    return {
-      input,
-      name: undefined,
-      description: undefined,
-      correct: false,
-    };
-  }
+  return {
+    id: member.user.id,
+    input,
+    name,
+    description: name === member.user.username ? undefined : member.user.username,
+    correct: true,
+  };
 }