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How scoring works: Waffle

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

Earn more stars by solving the Waffle in fewer swaps to improve 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

  • Every Waffle can be solved in exactly 10 swaps, and every swap saved beyond 10 earns a star (up to 5).
  • More stars produce a higher normalized score.
  • Unsolved puzzles score lower than solved 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 solve the Waffle in 12 swaps (3 stars), you earn a solid game score, but your rank still depends on how many stars your party members earned that day.

Technical scoring data 
{
    "ranking": {
        "tie_algorithm": {
            "key": "competition_ranking",
            "display_name": "Competition ranking"
        }
    },
    "examples": [
        "A 5-star solve (10 swaps, the minimum) earns the maximum game score.",
        "A 3-star solve (12 swaps) earns a moderate game score.",
        "A 0-star solve (all 15 swaps) earns the lowest solved normalized score (0.2), above unsolved (0.0)."
    ],
    "rule_text": "Higher star counts produce better normalized scores. In current absolute scoring, a solved 0-star game normalizes to 0.2 while unsolved normalizes to 0.0.",
    "edge_cases": [
        "Solved 0-star and unsolved submissions do not tie in absolute scoring: solved 0-star is 0.2 and unsolved is 0.0.",
        "If all party members solve with the same star count, everyone ties at rank 1."
    ],
    "measurement": {
        "metric_key": "star_count",
        "metric_label": "Stars earned",
        "scoring_type": "higher_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.",
            "Verify 0-star solved vs unsolved distinction is explained."
        ],
        "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": {
        "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": {
        "range": {
            "best": 1,
            "worst_solved": 0.2
        },
        "method": "higher_better",
        "scoring_type": "higher_better",
        "solved_floor": 0.2,
        "unsolved_score": 0
    }
}