Word meaning to be able to read illegible writing or understand unclear speech

There's a specific word I'm looking for.

For example if there is some messy handwriting, and you're able to understand it what is says, you're able to [verb] it.

eg.

I got lost on the way here! I was unable to [verb] the last line of his instructions.

Sue has a speech impediment, but fortunately for her, her husband and colleagues were very good at [verbing] her speech when she was having a bad day.

Solution 1:

decipher, or decode for writing; interpreting, inferring, or understanding for speech.

decipher
Succeed in understanding, interpreting, or identifying (something):
“Have you ever tried deciphering a doctor's prescription that looks like some sort of secret code out of World War II?”

Solution 2:

I'm almost certain the word you're looking for is discern.

Discern

I got lost on the way here! I was unable to discern the last line of his instructions.

Sue has a speech impediment, but fortunately for her, her husband and colleagues were very good at discerning her speech when she was having a bad day.

Solution 3:

To parse a phrase means specifically to understand or decipher a sentence, written or spoken. Strictly speaking the definition involves breaking a sentence down into grammatical parts, but I have heard it used more casually like this in practice.

Solution 4:

Construe /kənˈstro͞o/ verb –Google

interpret (a word or action) in a particular way.

I got lost on the way here! I was unable to construe the last line of his instructions.

Sue has a speech impediment, but fortunately for her, her husband and colleagues were very good at construing her speech when she was having a bad day.