maybe two separate catergories

[imported_kat]

Just a thought...

I've noticed that there are two types of players here. Those who are "100%-ers" and those who solve for speed. My issue is, I'm kind of both. Yet the top three awards for fastest solver never go to any one of the 100%-ers because they take the time to solve every puzzle.

I was thinking that maybe it would be nice to have two separate categories for the fastest solver challenge. One for the ones who solve every puzzle, and one for those that don't. It would make things a little more fair, in my opinion. It is a choice one makes to sacrifice a faster time to solve a difficult puzzle, I understand...but I think a separate category would make some of us feel better. It's tough to be behind someone with a 75.1% success rate. We're just different types of players.

[opallady]

I made the decision to switch to the 100%er group when I realized that I would have been in the top top ten of the success rate catagory if I hadn't blown off a few puzzles because, hey, life is short. I'm too methodical by nature to be all that fast at something like this anyway. The catagory you propose would be interesting, though.

[ernests]

Or how about a fastest solver score which takes account of both average speed and percentage solved - e.g. a penalty of 1 second for every % under 100%.

So if a player has an average speed of 30.4 seconds and 92.1% solved (so 7.9% missed), this would work out as a score of 30.4 + 7.9 = 38.3.

Here's the top of the fastest solver competition as it stands this minute, with rankings just on average time:
1. ferrym85 - 81.6% - 28.70s
2. debzhaus - 75.10% - 28.70s
3. rhaydon - 85.21% - 29.00s
4. kat - 100% - 36.6s
5. 1ARE - 84.62% - 40.4s

But with the 1 sec per % penalty, the top five would look like this:
1. kat - 100% - 36.60s + 0 = 36.60s
2. Altoid701 - 100% - 41.80s + 0 = 41.80s
3. rhaydon - 85.21% - 29.00s + 14.79 = 43.79s
4. toeprint - 100% - 45.80s + 0 = 45.80s
5. maradnu - 100% - 45.90s + 0 = 45.90s

What do you think?

[maradnu]

New category

Well, I would like that, for the obvious reason that I'd do better in a time competition against other 100%ers. I can't seem to manage to crack the top ten on speed because of the time it takes to do the 'tough' puzzles. I am usually in the top five among those who complete everything.

[Altoid701]

I'm definitely for two separate fastest solver times or a weighted ranking system. I switched over to being a 100%-er because it didn't feel right to me to skip over the ones that took a long time. Yeah, it sucks when one takes you 800+ seconds to solve it and it increases your solve time by a second, but every puzzle should count for a true average solve time, IMO. And you should be penalized for not completing a quote, I think. I've considered just doing 75% next month to see what my solve time would be, but I doubt I actually will. It doesn't feel right.

[imported_kat]

interesting

Ernests, that is a pretty cool idea. I think , perhaps, that it might upset some of the non 100%-ers though. I'm not looking to take anything away from anyone. It just feels to me that we're playing in two separate ways. I like seeing those stats though! You've proven that even someone with a percentage of 85.21 is still in the top 3 fastest solvers with that system. (not to mention the fact that it puts me at the top ) I also like seeing some of the other 100%-ers up there. I think they deserve something for finishing every puzzle, and quickly. The only thing I am concerned about is upsetting the players who do not finish every puzzle.

[momof6]

words from a non 100%er

Hi!
I solve for speed and don't let it bother me too much when I refresh the page - a split second of conscience whispering and then upwards and onwards. I admire those with the perseverance to solve every single puzzle, but count me out. I gotta save my patience for more important things (or people). Sometimes things come up and I've gotta leave a puzzle in the middle. Ernest's idea has merit, but seems a little complicated, but I guess that's where the computer kicks in. I hate to admit it, but that system does seem fairer. As Kat says as a non100%er, I like the system the way it is.
Momof6

[maradnu]

mom

I don't think we should eliminate the existing speed competition, just perhaps add one.

[gryhnd51]

2 categories!! GREAT idea!

as a player who doesn't solve 100%....not because I care so much for speed, as I just get befuddled by some.....I TOTALLY agree with Kat that it's more a matter of everyone's brain working a different way than anything else
Two separate categories for speed would, indeed, be fairer for ALL of us.

My hat is off to all you 100 percenters!!

[gryhnd51]

Administrator...where Are You?

If you great solvers don't keep this going, why would Stephen pay any attention to your idea?

You folks who spend time in the chat room should bring it up there, also....seems to be a lot of ideas being passed around in there!

Just a thought....good luck!

[imported_kat]

thank you

mostly for your support gryhnd51! Like I said, very much not trying to rock the boat, so to speak, but the fact is, there really ARE two types of players. I have a weird thing about trying to please everyone. (There's ben franklin quote about that floating around out there..) I want something for myself in this instance. Simply a recognition of the fact that I am fast and I am consistent. But not just for me. For Maradnu and Lily, and Pootie and gosh, I'm sorry..Laura and Digirl (sp?) altoid..the list goes on. We are a group of folks that enjoy puzzle solving. Maybe addicts. Needless to say, we are all of the same ilk.

The fact that there really are two factions in the game makes me think that the competition isn't necessarily skewed, just um.... well, i'm at a loss. it's not exactly unfair, but it isn't exactly fair either. I want the players who are super fast and skip some to feel that they're represented, yet I would like to feel represented as well. I hope I don't upset anyone. I just want to maybe get some kind of recognition for being fast AND solving all of the puzzles. Does that make any sense at all?

[admin2]

That's not a bad idea - maybe a fourth monthly competition for "Elite Solvers". The requirements would be:

- Must be in the top 50 High Scorers
- Must have a solving percentage of 98% or higher
- Ranked by average solve time

I'll put some thought into it.

[ferrym85]

I agree that it's extremely impressive that there are some people capable of solving 100% of their puzzles in fast times... it's definitely something I would never be able to do! Too many actual important things happening to worry about such trivialities.

I give a big old THUMBS UP for a new contest for the "elitists" here! There's certainly some merit to being recognized for being quick and accurate. I'm sure those of you who succeed spend a lot of time and effort to do so...

Continue on with your crusade! Hopefully you'll be able to find that satisfaction you crave and can't find elsewhere.

[imported_kat]

Admin,

Thank you. I appreciate your feedback.

[sonofcarc]

Actually it seems to me that there are three groups: those who have the discipline to finish every puzzle; those who have the discipline to blow off every one that slows them down in order to keep their average time as low as possible; and those like me who can't bear to give up on the middling-hard ones, OR to keep going when we've run out of ideas.

I have always thought it would be interesting to try running two different personae some month. The problem is I spend so little time here compared to some others that I couldn't keep either of them in the top 50 . . .