How it Works

Think you’re ready to take the competition? Here’s a few quick details about how it works.

Seasons

Competitive puzzle-solving is divided into seasons, which each new season beginning as Standard sets are released.

Each season will generally have nine competitive puzzles. When each new puzzle is posted extra-early for competitors (three days before other Patrons – at Tuesday 9:00am ET), competitors are able to submit answers until the following Thursday at 11:59PM PT.

Submitting Answers

Competitors submit answers to in-season puzzles through a secure platform. This access is granted manually upon sign up by email and/or private message through Patreon before each new puzzle is posted. (If you sign up while a competitive puzzle is live, we will do our very best to get you the login information while you still have time to submit an answer.)

Competitor Submission Platform

Earning Leaderboard Points

Submit correct solutions in fast times to climb your way up each season’s leaderboard:

  • Submit a correct answer: 5 points
  • Submit a correct answer with a time in the top 50%: 10 points
  • Submit a correct answer with the fastest time: 15 points

The winner of each season will receive an exclusive Season Champion playmat (such as the one below from WAR champion Matthew Williams, littered with other PS prizes!)

Leaderboard Tiebreakers

To separate ties in leaderboard points, which is common, a secondary ranking applies which is based on average percentile time across the season, i.e.:

  • For each puzzle submitted, you are ranked on time based on percentile among all correct answers. If a puzzle has 30 correct answers, 1st place will have a percentile of 100%, 2nd will be 96.7%, 3rd will be 93.3%, and so on, down to 3.3% for the slowest answer, and 0% for those which were incorrect.
  • After four puzzles, a player with percentiles of 90%, 80%, 70%, and 60%, will have a tiebreaker score equal to the average of those percentiles, 75%.
  • Only the overall tiebreaker score (not per puzzle) is displayed on the leaderboard.

Claim Prizes

Head on over to the Prize Points page to see how your competitive puzzling leads to PS goodies, even if you don’t take home the playmat.

Got what it takes?

Step up to the plate at any point to start taking down the competition and earning some sweet PS prizes! All Patrons at $5/month or higher levels are eligible to compete. Pick your support level below, and good luck!