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

Example

Alice earns 5 stars in 3m 10s. Bob earns 5 stars in 8m 5s. Carol earns 3 stars in 2m 0s. Alice ranks 1st (same stars as Bob, faster time), Bob ranks 2nd, Carol ranks 3rd (fewer stars).

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 produce better normalized scores. 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": "Party ranking uses peer min/max normalization. Each player's star count (1\u20135) is compared to the lowest and highest star counts among peers in the party for that day. When two players have the same star count, lower completion time ranks higher."
    },
    "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
    }
}