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How scoring works: Strands

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

Using fewer hints improves your Strands game score. Your party rank compares your game score with other party submissions for the same game/day and can change as new submissions arrive.

How to score well

  • Find theme words without hints when possible.
  • Fewer hints used earn a better game score.
  • Unsolved puzzles score lower than solved puzzles.

How ranking works in parties

  • Fewer hints rank higher within the party.
  • Unsolved entries earn 0 points for the day.
  • Tied hint counts share the same competition rank (1, 1, 3).

Example

In a 3-player party Alice uses 0 hints, Bob uses 1, Carol uses 2. Alice earns 3 points, Bob earns 2, Carol earns 1.

Technical scoring data 
{
    "ranking": {
        "tie_algorithm": {
            "key": "competition_ranking",
            "display_name": "Competition ranking"
        }
    },
    "examples": [
        "Solving Strands with 0 hints earns the maximum game score.",
        "Solving with several hints still counts as solved and ranks above any unsolved board.",
        "An unsolved Strands board earns the lowest game score."
    ],
    "rule_text": "Fewer hints earn a better game score.",
    "edge_cases": [
        "A solved entry with many hints still ranks above an unsolved entry.",
        "Two players who finish with the same hint count share the same competition rank within their party (e.g. 1, 1, 3)."
    ],
    "measurement": {
        "metric_key": "hint_count",
        "metric_label": "Hints used",
        "scoring_type": "lower_better"
    },
    "human_review": {
        "checklist": [
            "Verify rule_text reflects the scoring behavior without ambiguity.",
            "Verify examples are readable and match expected outcomes.",
            "Verify edge_cases are clear and non-conflicting."
        ],
        "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",
            "absolute_scoring.brackets",
            "ranking.tie_algorithm.key",
            "party_ranking.normalization_summary"
        ]
    },
    "party_ranking": {
        "normalization_summary": "Within a party, players are ranked on this game using fewer hints used first, with unsolved entries ranked last. 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": "lower_better",
        "scoring_type": "lower_better",
        "solved_floor": 0.2,
        "unsolved_score": 0
    }
}