"Spell Speed"
Spell speed is a mechanic in the game that refers to how "Fast" a card can resolved after activation. Every card in the game has a set spell speed.
Spell speed 1 includes Normal spells, Equip spells, Continuous spells, Field Spells, Ritual spells, Ignition effects, Trigger effects, and Flip effects.
Spell speed 2 includes Normal traps, Continuous traps, Quick-Play spells, and Quick Effects.
Spell speed 3 includes Counter Traps
Then there is the unofficial Spell speed 4 which is something like Super Polymerization because it reads (Spells, Traps, and card effects cannot be activated in response to this card's activation.). Basically nothing can chain to it, so that's why it is Spell Speed 4.
Now Spell Speed is a mechanic in which basically a lower Spell Speed cannot chain to a higher one. Spell Speed 1 cannot be chained to anything in the game at all, because they are not allowed to be higher than Chain Link 2 in the game which is impossible to do. For example: Player A summons a Dark Magician. Player B chains Bottomless Trap Hole. Player A cannot respond with something like Dark Hole because it would be Chain Link 3 which they are not allowed to be.
Spell Speed 2 is a faster Spell Speed that can be anywhere in a chain. These can only respond to the activation of Spell Speed 1 and 2. Few examples of commonly used Spell Speed 2 cards are Compulsory Evacuation Device, Mystical Space Typhoon, Mirror Force, Bottomless Trap Hole. These can all chain to anything but Spell Speed 3 cards and the occasional Spell Speed 4 card.
Spell Speed 3 is the fastest of all Spell Speeds and it is only Counter Traps. All of these can be chained to anything and everything in the game except Spell Speed 4. Examples of these are Solemn Warning, Wiretap, Dark Bribe. Essentially, these are the "best" because your opponent can only respond to them with other Counter Traps.
Spell Speed 4 is essentially a card that reads (Spells, Traps, and card effects cannot be activated in response to this card's activation.) or a variation of it. You will know it is this Spell Speed if it reads that somewhere in the card usually at the end.
I hope this helped all of you out if you don't understand something please feel free to PM me on DN, or PM me on here. <3
P.S To all you six sam players out there you cannot i repeat CANNOT chain Shi'ens effect to solemn warning lol the amount of six sam players who have tried this is just too damn high. :3