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How scoring works: Mini Crossword

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

Faster completion usually improves your 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

  • Solve accurately while keeping your total time low.
  • Landing in faster time brackets produces a higher normalized score.
  • Unfinished puzzles score lower than completed puzzles.

How ranking works in parties

  • Your rank compares your game score to other party submissions for the same game/day.
  • Ranks recalculate when new submissions arrive.
  • Ties use competition ranking (1, 1, 3).

Example

If you finish the Mini in 58 seconds, your game score is strong, but your rank still depends on how quickly others finished.

Technical scoring data 
{
    "ranking": {
        "tie_algorithm": {
            "key": "competition_ranking",
            "display_name": "Competition ranking"
        }
    },
    "examples": [
        "Review this games examples in PR for readability and correctness."
    ],
    "rule_text": "Faster solve times produce better normalized scores.",
    "edge_cases": [
        "Review edge-case copy in PR to ensure behavior is understandable."
    ],
    "measurement": {
        "metric_key": "time_seconds",
        "metric_label": "Solve time",
        "scoring_type": "time_based"
    },
    "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": "Party ranking uses peer min/max normalization so each solved score is compared to that party's best and worst solved results for the day."
    },
    "schema_version": 1,
    "absolute_scoring": {
        "method": "time_based",
        "brackets": {
            "30": 1,
            "60": 0.9,
            "120": 0.8,
            "180": 0.7,
            "300": 0.6,
            "600": 0.5
        },
        "scoring_type": "time_based",
        "solved_floor": 0.2,
        "unsolved_score": 0
    }
}