Hi, Lucille! Since water weighs roughly twice as much as flour, 1/2 cup of water to 1 cup of flour is actually a 1:1 ratio, so both are correct simultaneously! If you're finding your starter to be very stiff, it's likely the result of measuring your flour too heavily, since you're using cups instead of weight. We'd suggest visiting our guide How to Measure Flour for a demonstration of how to avoid getting too much flour into your cup (and your starter). Happy baking! 

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