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How scoring works: Stackdown

Your game score comes from your own puzzle result. Your party rank compares that score with your party's submissions for the same day.

Quick summary

Stackdown is scored by stars earned (1–5) based on how few hints you used. Higher stars rank better. When stars are tied, faster completion time breaks the tie.

How to score well

  • Avoid using hints to earn more stars.
  • 5 stars (no hints) is the best possible result.
  • 1 star (max hints) is the worst possible result.
  • Complete the puzzle quickly to rank above others with the same star count.
  • Even 1 star counts as a solved puzzle — there is no failure state.

How ranking works in parties

  • Higher stars rank higher within the party.
  • Same stars? Faster time wins the extra point.
  • Tied star counts without time data share the same competition rank (1, 1, 3).

Example

In a 3-player party Alice earns 5 stars in 3:10, Bob earns 5 stars in 8:05, Carol earns 3 stars in 2:00. Alice earns 3 points (1st — same stars as Bob, faster), Bob earns 2, Carol earns 1.

Technical scoring data 
{
    "ranking": {
        "tie_algorithm": {
            "key": "competition_ranking",
            "display_name": "Competition ranking"
        }
    },
    "examples": [
        "A player who completes the puzzle with no hints earns 5 stars.",
        "A player who uses some hints might earn 3 stars.",
        "Two players both earn 5 stars: the one who finished in 3m 10s ranks above the one who finished in 8m 5s."
    ],
    "rule_text": "Higher star counts earn a better game score. Stackdown always awards 1\u20135 stars based on hints used. 5 stars means no hints were used (perfect play). 1 star means the maximum hints were used. When two players earn the same star count, the faster completion time ranks higher. There is no failure state \u2014 every Stackdown game ends with a score.",
    "edge_cases": [
        "There is no failure state in Stackdown. Every submission is solved with 1\u20135 stars.",
        "Shares without time data get no tiebreaker advantage \u2014 they are treated as the slowest within their star count.",
        "Streak and tier hashtags are informational and do not affect scoring.",
        "If two players earn the same star count and neither has time data, they tie under competition ranking."
    ],
    "measurement": {
        "metric_key": "stars",
        "metric_label": "Stars earned",
        "scoring_type": "higher_better"
    },
    "human_review": {
        "checklist": [
            "Verify that all entries are described as always-solved (no failure state) in rule_text and edge_cases.",
            "Verify that star range 1\u20135 is stated consistently throughout examples and edge_cases.",
            "Verify that time tiebreaking is described accurately \u2014 stars always dominate, time only breaks ties."
        ],
        "machine_verifiable_scope": [
            "measurement.scoring_type",
            "absolute_scoring.method",
            "absolute_scoring.solved_floor",
            "absolute_scoring.unsolved_score",
            "absolute_scoring.range.best",
            "absolute_scoring.range.worst_solved",
            "ranking.tie_algorithm.key"
        ]
    },
    "party_ranking": {
        "normalization_summary": "Within a party, players are ranked on this game using higher star counts first (with faster times breaking star ties). Each player earns one point for every party member they beat, plus one. Players who don't solve the puzzle earn zero points for this game."
    },
    "schema_version": 1,
    "absolute_scoring": {
        "range": {
            "best": 1,
            "worst_solved": 0.2
        },
        "method": "higher_better",
        "scoring_type": "higher_better",
        "solved_floor": 0.2,
        "unsolved_score": 0
    }
}