LSAT GAMES deductions, quirks, concepts + translating prompt langauge to symbols and rules Flashcards
ALL GAMES: what approach is worth playing? Consider strong vs weak determination, consider whether a 1A quadrant of a Power Or would crash (TTN is better than Power Or only if 1A would crash!!)
Note on scenarios: Remember you can have PLACEMENT BASED SCENARIOS (more common, uses specific sequencing slots or group names), or RULE STYLE SCENARIOS (less common, used maybe for unnamed groups, w/o specific slots or group names, like PT 55 Opening & Final Arguments)
Approaches to Consider
- Sequencing Blocks - VAST MAJORITY are of Sequencing Blocks ARE worthy of scenarios – different types:
AM…B block x 4 scenarios shifting AM to the right w/ B on shrinking bracket on right - 6 slots
FH/HF…KL/LK..J block x 3 scenarios shifting FH/HF to the right with rest on bracket on right - 7 slots
F_V block x 4 scenarios - 6 slots
3 entities SS block (where S is a repeating entity and this block contains ALL the Ss – key) x 4 scenarios - 5 slots
4 entities rule says slot 2 and 4 must be same, LMNO are entities: just play 4 scenarios rotating each entity through 2 and 4 - 6 slots
3 entities on 1-2 split - play 3 scenarios rotating the 3 entities through –note the 1-2 split can be subtle, raise eyebrow if you see a “doubled up” same place type slot, it could be part of a 1-2 split (PT 44 Historical Records game)
- Vertical Blocks in Association Games - Vertical Blocks (not Not Blocks, but regular Vertical Blocks) in Grouping and Std Grid can also be worthy of scenarios - WE LOVE BLOCKS
- Games with Unnamed categories - Start Plunking Work of an entity, ask what SOMEONE HAS TO HAVE, look at entities which are used in multiple rule, and pick one to plunk- it will look scary and wide open at first! But remember you can get things going by plunking down some information from rules that say “exactly one has XXX” or even information from numeric distribution into any category you want! Do that plunking work and THEN think about scenarios and how rules interact. E.g. PT 62 stained glass windows – first plunk GP in “first” window bc you know SOMEONE has a GP. That results in ~Y in the “first” window. But you KNOW SOMEONE has a Y and it’s not the “first”, so plunk Y into “second” window.
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If you have a sequencing game with only ellipses rules (ie no if-then, etc), is it worth playing scenarios, or just do limited ends w/o scenarios? Base this decision on the longest single branch of that rule (or if it is just one branchless chain, base it on that chain) – if that branch or chain alone includes 2/3 or more of the total game entities, it is worth playing scenarios based on the placement of an entity from that branch. If <2/3, just do limited ends w/o scenarios. (see image in opposite slide: left chain is NOT worth scenarios bc longest branch is 4/8 = 1/2 (tie between RTVY RTVS and RTVQ). right chain IS worth scenarios bc longest branch is 4/6 = 2/3.)…but
- If you DO play scenarios on an entity or block from that branch, which to play with? play it out with the **most limited** entity or block on that branch because the the more limits it has, the more it will push around, e.g. in PT 29 g4 Piano Classes, play out K in spots 2 and 3
- Is it worth playing 2 scenarios with an if-then rule: trig true & trig false? Yes, if trigger places 1/2 of all entities (including itself) **see exception below on one-half rule**
- Is it worth playing 3 scenarios with two if-then rules: trig true, trig true, neither? Yes, if both triggers place 1/2 of all entities (including itself) **see exception below on one-half rule**
- Worth playing 4 scenarios as Power-Ors? Weak “ors” are fine to make a power or! But pick “ors” that pushes other stuff! Take a minute to visualize/preview to confirm that the two “ors” you select are the ones that push around the most stuff possible. Sometimes it is not clear until you follow the snowball.
- When is a trig-trig-neither approach more efficient than a Power-Or? Ask yourself, would the 1A power-or quadrant (both triggers true at the same time) scenario crash? If it would indeed crash ( i.e. the two triggers are mutually exclusive) TTN is more efficient. If 1A wouldn’t crash, Power Or is better and more efficient. If you do TTN when Power Or is better, you may have trouble with questions (May 2020 flex Academic Society)
- Is it worth playing two scenarios based on Strong Cell? Most limited single cell based on…
- numeric ranges in row/column of that cell
- stuff already present in row/column of that cell
- affected by the most rules
- Is it worth playing scenarios based on Distribution Scenarios (e.g. PT 42 Botanists Chemists Zoologists)?
Note: Association Grouping games will very often be played simply based on different scenarios using difft BLOCK PLACEMENTS, no power or necessary, simple block placements
**exception** sometimes a trigger that places fewer than one-half the total entities is STILL worth playing out for trig true trig false, or trig trig neither…for example
- Pregroup if there is a pre-group cut in a game that will force other stuff to fall into place (in-or-out, or 2 group), or
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Overfill: See attached - if there are some placeholders already partially filling up categories e.g. pg 71 Benz Lexus where game of 7 becomes game of 4 after placing S/F in Benz and S/F + M/V in Lexus Since max in a group is 4 in that game, the Nlexus–>Jlexus is strong playable trigger because it fills up Lexus even though it only involves 2 entities (less than 1/2 total).
* Note on Strong Trigger Rule of Thumb denominator*: when evaluating if a trigger is strong or weak (i.e. the one-half and 2/3 rules of thumb below), your “denominator” of that little rule of thumb calc must account for repeating entities, e.g. in Furniture PT 56, you will have 6 placements with 4 entities so a strong trigger would actually need to place 3 things, not just 2. So your threshold would be higher. On the other hand, if you have pregroups, or partially filled up categories, a trigger placing FEWER than the threshold can still be strong. So your threshold would be lower. The 1/2 and 2/3 rules are not exact.
Note from May LSAT Flex (rare) – prompt did not help much but Questions did!! sometimes there ARE no good scenarios to play based on the prompt info alone, so don’t hesitate too long, trust yourself. This is especially likely if you can see from the questions ahead that there are a lot of IF TYPE questions (i.e. the Qs will give more info to help build scenarios) or ACCEPTABLE type questions (i.e. the ACs will just need to be run thru all the rules, no scenario needed. See PT May 2020 Flex Festival
Sequencing chain: in a sequencing chain with ZERO triggers, a single branch that does not include 2/3 or more of all the entities in the game (including itself) is considered WEAK. We would not play out scenarios based on the placement of an entity in that weak branch (except Power-Ors, see below)
If-then trigger: If a trigger does not place 1/2 or more of all the entities in the game (including itself) that is is considered a weak trigger
Thinking of playing out trigtrue-trig false? Make sure trigger is strong
Thinking of playing out trig-trig-neither? Make sure both triggers are strong
Thinking of playing out Power-Or? It is fine if weak trigger is one or more of the “ors” (quadrant)
ALL GAMES - BAD HABIT when component of placeholder triggers stuff NOT in placeholder
Look out for situations where you have pos to negative but with more than one result! Your “neither” scenario may have a placeholder O/M but if you get a questions asking about if M is in, that Neither scenario does not reflect that M pushes P out!
ALL GAMES - assembly line work – which rules first?! – leave the non-snowball-causers for last!
If you have chain and branch, DO ASSEMBLY LINE ONE BRANCH AT A TIME
Entity places near middle of sequence? Likely that other entities can only go before and even other entities can go after, and if neither, you can use placeholders to rep pairs…Do not be afraid to split the bracket instead of having overarching bracket.
Assembly line work is more efficient when you first apply rules that seem to fit nicely into the diagram. Sometimes, a complicated rule will take up a lot of space on the diagram or on a bracket, so starting with that piece can be effective. Some rules involve entities that are neither in the other rules nor limited on the diagram. Such rules are unlikely to result in immediate changes to the diagram, so you may save those rules for the end of your assembly line work
ALL GAMES Non-Obvious possible Power-OR rules in games (5 types)
- “not” sequencing rule is an OR rule in a SEQUENCING SAME PLACE game bc it will involve smth before OR same place rel to smth else
- Triggers!: Trigger true OR Trigger false
- If and Only If, and its CONTRA
- Blocks that can only go in 2 places (i.e. block length + 1 = total spaces available) (or single entity can go in only 2 spaces but forces stuff)
- SPECIFIC Numeric Distrib (not generic) that only has 2 possibilities (i.e. 1 2 4 and 1 3 3)…but note the Botanist Chem Zool game had all 4 scenarios via numeric distribs
Don’t forget that Blocks That Can Only Go in Two Places also would include INDIVIDUAL ENTITIES THAT CAN ONLY GO IN TWO PLACES (see bicycle game, PT 64 q 13-18, that used Power Or with YS in two spots, or the simple T in two spots H1 and H2)
*pick powerful ors that force stuff, or pick ors that eliminate complicated rules with subscripts and tildes*
Note you can get rid of complicated rules by doing a Power Or on it! Ex
Ov–> ~Ky and ~Ov (from ambassador PT 64 game)
ALL GAMES - rep entities If you have repeating entities, what is one critical thought you should have?
What is my numeric distribution? How many possibilities? Can be non-generic (i.e. associated w/ specific entities) or generic
“Unless either” looks like what?
“Unless neither” looks like what?
“Unless both” looks like what?
“Unless not both” look like what?
*note there are sort of two ways to write Neither in the Trigger–works best if you write is like tilded version of Either in Result but more intuitive the second way*
note PT 31 CDs game is the hardest chaining and branching game
“Unless either…” becomes “if not either…” aka “if neither” which puts trigger branch together
“Unless neither…” becomes “if either…” which splits trigger into branches
“Unless both…” becomes “if not both…” which splits trigger into branches
“Unless not both” becomes “if both…” which puts trigger branch together
Basically, a “not” puts stuff back together or makes it a branch
remember “not either” is “neither” but it’s not simply putting a tilde on EITHER. “not both” is not simply putting a tilde on BOTH
Buyers Trade (like) Nobody Buys Everything branch trigger
Buyers Really (like) Buffalo Nickels branch results
ALL GAMES: IF-THEN: EITHER L or S BUT NOT BOTH in RESULTS - how to symbolize:
If Mathematics is offered, then EITHER literature OR sociology is offered, BUT NOT BOTH
*the BUT NOT BOTH is very significant here. On the other hand, if we had *or both* we could ignore it.*
And remember, it matters whether you are in results or trigger.
see pg 46 of lesson book
See attached. Don’t forget to add the “but not both” arrrow. It’s a little tricky because when we symbolize regular “either” in the results it is just one arrow.
key: But Not Both, or And Not Both are clues that an extra rule or extra branch should be written when translating rules into symbolized If-Then statements. Different than Sequencing statements.
But EITHER OR/BUT NOT BOTH is a different animal and creates a second arrow in the results. It’s like the “either” we use in non-LSAT world.
When you take the contrapositive of the whole thing it becomes a trigger with Neither on top and Both on bottom.
Symbolizing Not Both, Either in trigger and results
Symbolizing Both, Neither in trigger and results
*note that adding a BUT NOT BOTH to EITHER is a different animal and will create a second arrow*
*can ignore OR BOTH*
See attached. Also note that while Both and Neither make simple intuitive sense, remember that Not Both and Either can be less intuitive.
Memorize: Not Both = AT LEAST ONE IS NOT
Memorize: Either = AT LEAST ONE IS
ALL GAMES Rule that goes pos to neg, or neg to pos… “Placeholder” deduction from rules that switch signs (A–>~B, or ~F–>H e.g.)
NOTE on efficiency: best to wait on doing this Placeholder step UNTIL you have placed your “what’s left” entities on the bracket. After placing your “what’s left” entities on the bracket, THEN do the Placeholder step on the entities on the bracket. This makes the Placeholder step easier because you are using fewer entities.
NOTE on combo of neg to pos and pos to neg: if you have a selection if-then rule like “must take W or G, but not both” symbolized like W–>~G–>W (i.e. if and only if) that is basically a combination of a pos to neg rule AND a neg to pos rule, so you end up with W/G “in” and W/G “out”! (see attached)
PLACEHOLDERS with WHAT’S LEFT
From a two entity rule that switches signs, you can take that rule, and its contrapositive, and know that AT LEAST one of the results terms will fall in the category that has the same sign as the signs of the two results (see attached)
(note if you have a pre-grouped game that you have CUT, don’t do a placeholder based on entities from different pre-groups ie different sides of the CUT)
If you are doing “What’s Left” work on your remaining entities, often whe are working on the Neither Scenario of the Trig-Trig-Neither scenario, first look back at your if-then diagrams.
If any of the remaining entities have a relationship with other remaining entities that SWITCHES signs (e.g. A–>~B), even if there are intermediate entities (you CAN jump!), you can make that a PLACEHOLDER comprising the TWO RESULTS TERMS from that relationship and its contrapostive.
Just remember
- Not to use an entity on more than one placeholder,
- Include its sister placeholder in the bracket (not just assume it is in the other category, because the sister can be in either the bracket or the other)
- Look for smaller intermediate rules
NOTE on combo of neg to pos and pos to neg: if you have a selection if-then rule like “must take W or G, but not both” symbolized like W–>~G–>W (i.e. if and only if) that is basically a combination of a pos to neg rule AND a neg to pos rule, so you end up with W/G “in” and W/G “out”!
T) ALL GAMES - symbolize…how to symbolize the results of “if the stand carries watermelons, it carries figs or tangerines or both“…the trigger is easy to symbolize, but how to symbolize the results?
Be careful! This is not a “both in the results” aka branch results situation…
The language X or Y or both is an EITHER so it’s an EITHER in the results and Either i not branched in the results, and you symbolize:
W –> (F/T) aka “either F or T” (or both but we don’t say “or both” that bc redundant, the word either in LSAT includes or both)
See Pt 36 fruit game!
Also notice, in scenario 1, where ~T is trigger (circled in green) that ~T does NOT necessarily also trigger the ~(F/T) aka “neither F nor T” (aka ~F and ~T) therefore ~W…because ~(F/T) means NEITHER F nor T and you only know that F is out at this point
Be careful: “either” when negated (and negation is you do when you take contrapositive of a rule) is NEITHER ARE…it is not EITHER ARE NOT
ALL GAMES - negating vs. polar opposite Difference between Negating (making negative) and Polar Opposite?
Negative of Both is Not Both and vice versa
Polar Opposite of Both is Neither and vice versa
Negative of Either is Neither and vice versa
Polar Opposite of Either is Not Both and vice versa
Most efficient thought for…
Either Jon or Sara Jon/Sara
If not Jon then Sara ~Jon –> Sara
At least one of Jon and Sara IS
Most efficient:
At least one IS
*Note that a quirk of LSAT is that EITHER OR means at least one*
*OR in normal life would be EITHER OR BUT NOT BOTH on LSAT*
Most efficient thought for…
Not both Jon and Sara ~(
If Jon then not Sara
At most one of Jon and Sara
Most efficient:
At least one is NOT
ALL GAME - num distrib When to consider doing a numeric distrib???
Selection games (in and out categories)
same place
repeating entities…
(few others)
ALL GAMES if the trigger causes a contradiction IN THAT BRANCH….
~I–>M–>~G–>~R–>I
Then you know the trigger is impossible. Since the trigger is ~I here, you know I is in. Go ahead and put I as “in” on the diagram, remove from rules
ALL GAMES preview Games section, should you preview each of the 4 games to assess, or just dive right in?
Preview! Start with easiest game and save hardest for last. Hardest game should be last.
ALL GAMES - entity in more than one rule? It’s a hint! Keep an eye out for the same entity in more than one rule because why?
Because it means something is going on with that entity! there is some further deduction to be made…
e.g. ~H6 and V…R…H
tells you that the the 6 spot will be from another rule not VRH
ALL GAMES – if you have NOT BOTH in trigger, but BOTH in result? Rare and Sorta crazy!
Rare but it happens. See attached.
ALL GAMES entity and its not What if you come up with chain-branch diagram of if-then rules that has an entity AND its not (e.g. T and ~T)? Freak out?
No. If T and ~T are on DIFFERENT BRANCHES (meaning they have no direct relationship) then it is ok.
But if they are on the same branch, it is a contradiction and cannot exist, so double check your work. Or kill that scenario.
ALL GAMES – entity and ~entity result from same trigger, what to do? If you have an if then branch n chain arrangement where a contradiction is forced, do you kill the whole arrangement?
No–it just tells you that the trigger causing the contradiction never is activated!
No. Don’t confuse it with a self-contradicting scenario. It just means the trigger that causes the contradiction never happens. I.e. in the attached situation it means ~G never happens, aka G is always IN. You don’t throw away the whole contrapositive arrangement! In this case just do your 3 scenarios based on J trig F trig, neither
ALL GAMES - If you have non-specific numeric distribs, and are narrowed down to 2… good for Power-OR>
that still is not probably a good power-or component. Much better to use 2 specific numeric distribs in power-or if possible
Need a good numeric distrib power-or example? Look at Botanist Chem Zoologists, but note that is a SPECIFIC numeric distrib
ALL GAMES Can you ignore OR BOTH in either…or both? What about either…BUT NOT BOTH?
can ignore the OR BOTH bc EITHER includes that
never ignore But Not Both
ALL GAMES - if-then chain/branch has an entity that forces contradiction?!?!
Keep an eye out for the same entities showing up twice in a single BRANCH. If they are the same (L, L) then that is ok. But if one is positive and one is negative, and they are on the same branch, you may have a contradiction
To allow yourself to see possible contradictions when drawing your chain/branch, it is better to choose the EARLIER ~J when connecting stuff, so you can better see what happens downstream
see PT 54 Dancers On Stage
Easy to miss! In this case, you see that ~G forces ~L but also forces L! That is a contradiction, and we cannot have contradictions, which means that ~G cannot ever happen because a contradiction cannot happen, therefore you know that G is in.
So put G in the “in” category on your master diagram, and ignore the ~G rules, and also ignore the rules that force G, because we already know G is in.
Note this doesn’t necessarily have to be a strong trigger or a weak trigger, it can be any entity that forces a contradiction.
ALL GAMES “Power Or” can be played for what types of games?
It is likely you will have 1 or or more games most efficiently attacked with Power-Or combining, usually in sequencing games, but possibly association games.
Note you can have Power-Or using RULES in ea quad, or using SCENARIOS in ea quad. Important decision!
Vast majority of simple “or” rules are in and of themselves worthless for playing out normal non-power-or scenarios in and of themselves because they don’t connect significantly to other rules. **But** those same simple “or” rules, if they can connect with ANOTHER rule(s), are worthy of partnering with another “or” rule to play out a Power-Or 4x quadrant. Obvs the more connecting rules, the better the Power Or will be.
STEPS to COMBINE
*note that an If And Only If stmt, and its contrapositive stmt, can serve as 1 “or” rule together for purposes of Power Or. Note you can only do that with an If And Only If stmt. If you want to use a normal If-Then Stmt in your Power-Or, your rule must be Trigger True orTrigger False, which is less useful but still ok*
If you have 3 entities F, H, I, and you know 2 of them must be checked, but you have another rule saying that F and H cannot go together, what is deep deduction?
little 2 of 3 game
You can have F and I or H and I...EITHER WAY YOU MUST HAVE I, sing it
so check I
note this happens when two of the 3 possible entities have some rule preventing them together
PT 81
Best way to create numeric distrib scenarios from pre-groups without losing track?
Start with most restricted pregroup T, grab its min, duplicate it from the min of the S pregroup through the max of the S pregroup….then grab the next highest T, duplicate it from the min of the S pregroup through the max of the S pregrup…
ALL GAMES - NUMERIC DISTRIB layouts —-start with extremes…Best way to quickly lay out your possible numeric distributions when given some restriction, e.g. There are 7 entities and a rule is that there are more in zone 3 than zone 2…
side note, try to build PARTIALLY specific if possible… if you have a rule that gives you SOME information about some of the categories, i.e. for 7 entities, 4 categories RSTU, know that all cats have at least one, and you know that S>T, build out as attached (PT 71 g2), it is ok that you leave R and U open on your first two distribs
Since Z3 > Z2, start making distribs holding the small number low, vary the others, and then bump up, i.e. start with Z2=1 and figure out what Z3 and Z1 would be. Repeat. Then do Z2=2.
- ALL GMS - NUMERIC DISTRIB -
- START WITH EXTREMES,
- BE SKEPTICAL OF MAXES, ELIM MAXES BASED on RULES,
- THEN if if you know exact PREGROUP distribt, CUT THE GAME for THAT pregroup
REMEMBER: AFTER YOU INITIALLY LAY OUT YOUR DISTRIBS, YOU MAY HAVE A BUNCH! LIKE 6….but don’t forget, always always always BE SKEPTICAL OF MAXIMUMS in the various numeric distribs, because there is a great chance that the rules will make maximum impossible (i.e. A–>~B) therefore allowing you to eliminate one OR MORE numeric distrib
ALL GAMES - if you have many numeric distribs, how to narrow
perfect example is circuit load game
Be skeptical of extremes! If you have many numeric distribs, look to your neg-pos or pos-neg rules to see if you can rule out some of your extreme numeric distribs, like PT 47 circuiit load. Note in that game he played out 5 scenarios.
*note Circuit Load in this game is defined as simply the total number of switches, e.g. if exactly three physical switches are on, the Circuit Load is 3. And since the final rule says “the switch whose number corresponds with the Circuit Load must be on” then Switch 3 must be one of those that are on in that situation. For example.
- If exactly three switches are on, then Switch 3 must be one of the three. Couldn’t have simply 1, 6, and 7, no more no less. But 3, 6, 7 would be fine. 2, 3, 5 would be fine. Etc.
- If exactly two switches are on. Switch 2 must be one of the two. Couldn’t have simply 6 and 7 on, no more no less. 1 and 2 would be fine. 2 and 6 would be fine.
- If exactly five are on. Switch 5 must be one of the five…
So, KEY is to create scenarios based on numeric distribs and DO NOT FORGET to draw out the slots and include in the IN category the Circuit Load (circled in yellow) for each scenario!
ALL GAMES - you come across a numeric limit for an entity that is expressed in a rule, and you can’t figure out how to put that limit on a diagram or grid?
Write out your numeric distribution possibilities and just write that entity next to the possibilities that the rule is expressing, and make a block. E.g. “the housemate to whom the flyer is addressed has at least one other pieces of mail addressed to her” … put that F next to the appropriate distribs! see attached
ALL GAMES - group is narrowing to 3 possible entities AND one of the 3 is on a block? Remember a block is like “cannot be alone” so it is dragging something along with it. Look for what is getting dragged along.
Try to see if the constraints of the 3 remaining entities and the fact one is on a block forces a a “must be” entity or placeholder. Rotate F, M, S etc through the narrowing category and note that the entity is on a block and dragging something with it…and that something may end up being a “must be” placeholder. Something gets dragged in even when it is not the entity you are rotating in your head.
Note the G group–when you have narrowed down to 3 entities that can go into a group (G group in this case), and one of those entities is attached to a block (F in this case), think through the different combinations of remaining entities that can go in G group. The fact that F can’t go alone lets you deduce what MUST go in G.
ALL GAMES - numeric distrib type that is RARE - grid distrib (not grid game!, but grid numeric distrib)
KEY: don’t let them scare you into missing what the actual pregroups are
Can have a 2-dimensional numeric distrib! It would look like a grid, like in Astronauts PT35, inexperienced vs experienced, groups R and G
Luncheon PT 65: hot vs cold, main, side, desserts
The rules give you TWO-DIMENSIONAL numeric distribs, i.e. on experience and science type…essentially a complicated way to give you 4 pre-groups (exp geologists, inexp geologists, exp radiobiologists, inexp radiobiologists)
so you
- lay out the numeric distrib information for pregroups as a 4 way grid,
- deduce the total number of numeric distribs (2 in this case, a 1111 and 0220) AND THEN
- create two T charts that are cut 4 times to reflect each pre-group
SELECTION w/ PREGROUPS - after laying out your numeric distribs, CUT the game for anywhere you KNOW the specific numeric distribs! If you have a pre-grouped selection game, what are the TMs going to make a big deal of? KEY: CUT THE GAME (i.e. make each T-chart sliced into the pregroups so you can see more clearly how the PREGROUPS overfill
If Botansts, Chems, and Zoologists are pre-groups PT 42… how to symbolize “if more than one botanist is selected, then at most one zoologist is selected?”
also see pg 57 Glee Club cutting game example in notes
In Botanists Chem Zool game, you DO NOT have a strong trigger (best trigger places 4 of 9) so you play 4 scenarios based on 4 numeric distribs, but cut each scenario for 3 pre-groups. Then apply rules assembly line style.
Deep deduction on first 2 scenarios: Since the Zoologist pregroup has 1 slot only in these first 2 scenarios, you can look at the M–>P&R rule and KNOW that that trigger must be false since there is not room for two zoologists P and R. So you know M is out for those first two.
Don’t forget to apply your cross-group rules as well! e..g F–>~K and K–>~F
But the key is to set up the scenarios as CUT to visualize pregroups
The numeric distrib of each pre-group getting selected or not selected
Don’t symbolize as a normal if-then stmt!! Use it to create your numeric distribs of pre-groups, and try to make non-generic distribs (i.e. associate with spec groups)
Just think of pre-group designations as an extra step or “bulk” reference you have to translate when getting out your RULES or numeric distrib
Never put actual pre-group names or subscripts in your rules or diagrams
See zoologist botanist game
BUT indicators are ok to put in subscripts/diagrams (e.g. 78 sect 1 #1, seven workers, 3 in 4 out, and one of the 3 in isa LEADER aka LEADER is the indicator. Ok
When to “cut” a selection game? How does it affect triggers?
Don’t cut for a pre-group if you don’t know the exact numeric distrib for THAT pregroup!
If you have a pregrouped selection game, say you have 3 pregroups...you can cut for Pregroup 1 when you know the EXACT number of entities IN for Pregroup 1. It may end up being the only pregroup you cut for! For example in the attached, you could cut for San Diego but not the other 2 pregroups. And remember, do your numeric distrib layout (and numeric distrib layout elimination via rules!) before you start CUTTING
Don’t cut if you don’t know pregroup numeric distribs
Note when selecting triggers, if you have PREGROUPED game or game that is CUT, think in terms of HALF or MORE of remaining entities WITHIN THE CUT (SMALLER) game…
Selection game OVERFILL concept – tricky but POWERFUL … look at 1:39:20 from Lesson 4 Tonya Vacation game, it’s Big Concept #6 for Selection Games…but it also can apply to a SEQUENCE-SELECTION game….so look out for OVERFILL in any game with a selection component
NOTE for selection games that you will often have 1 bracket over the WHOLE game and another bracket over the IN category only. So it may be a bit cluttered
Overfill: A standalone deduction you can make about a single entity P, with regard to which category P is in, because if it were in the OTHER category, the OTHER category would exceed and overfill. Keep eye out if you see category NARROWING. Keep eye out if you cannot find strong triggers!
So it’s like a deduction you make about the location of single entity simply because otherwise it would OVERFILL a category…
So look at rules that seem to fill categories.e.g in the attached, if C is out, it triggers the ~CV rule which pushes C and V out, which fills up the Out category since D/T is already out. But if P is out, that triggers the ~CV rule which pushes C and V out, so P and C and V and D/T are out, which is OVERFILL; Therefore P must be IN.
keep an eye out for OVERFILL when you cannot find Strong Trigger or Power OR
Sequencing types: What is an important difference between
- Sequencing within Groups game
- Sequence within a Sequence game
- Sequencing Same Place game
If it is Sequence within Groups, then “after” and “before” means left and right. But if it is Sequence within a Sequence (less common) it could be more complicated then “after” and “before” could include stacked up afternoon-morning shift, e.g. for the same day…attached is Seq within Groups, and you can see that O and P cannot go in the same time as M, and that is becauase the top row is East Theater and bottom row is West Theater. If those rows were sequence-type, like afternoon and morning, then O and P COULD indeed go below M. PT 82
Sequencing within Groups is like 5 days at a bar, each day has a back bar shift and front bar shift
Sequencing Same Place is like 5 days at a bar, each day has one to two people assigned, but no back vs front, afternoon vs morning etc
Sequencing within Sequence is like 5 days at a bar, each day has a morning shift and afternoon shift
note there is also Sequencing w/ Selection, Sequencing Multiple Sets, and Sequencing Same Set
SELECTION - GROUP and SEQ SELECTION In Grouping Selection and Sequencing Selection, how do you write the following
“if she buys a vanity, it is a maple vanity”
“any rosewood item she buys is a sideboard*
Don’t write V–>Vm. Just write Not Vs in all the other categories besides Maple
put Not (other furniture) in rosewood column, including null
(like dinosaur game)
SELECTION: if either P or W selected, both must be selected?, how to translate “if either P or W is selected, both must be selected?”
SELECTION - GROUPING 2 groups In a two-group grouping game for groups A and T (note not a selection game, where entities can go out), if you have the following, what is a deep deduction?
HA–>PT
You know that at LEAST one of H and P are in the T category, so put H/P in the T category, and H/P on a bracket
This is just like positive to negative rules when you are doing placeholders
Again, only with a 2 group game, or a one-group in-out game
See PT 63 appellate and trial courts
SELECTION GAME- 3 entities remaining, what is a 1 - 2 split?
Common in a Selection Game:
When are doing What’s Left work (any type of game), and you have exactly 3 entities remaining (say H, I, and K) left in a 2 group situation where the first group has 1 remaining place, and the second group has 2 remaining places, you know you will have THREE scenarios
H & I K
I & H K
K & H I
Even if you have to draw extra scenarios, this can help finish out a game and answer questions
PT 58 Summer Courses game - Selection
If you have a 7 entity game where numerical distribution says AT LEAST 3 entities will be”in” (i.e. maxium of “out” entities will be 4)…and you get to a point in a scenario where you have 4 entities on the bracket, with only 1 possible remaining “out” placement, what can you deduce?
Look for deductions when you are NARROWED to one remaining slot out (MAX)
Since, out of the remaining 4 entities on the bracket, a maximum of 1 of those will go in the “out” category, you know that you can pick ANY two of the remaining 4, and say that AT LEAST ONE will be “in”
I.e. in the attached example, I have L, T, P/W, and S/H remaining…I can pick two of those and KNOW that at least one will be in. I could do P/W&L, I could do P/W&T, I could do P/W & S/H, I could do L &S/H, I could do T & S/H, but most useful is L & T.
So, key step, I put an L/T placeholder in the IN category because that is most narrow. And then an L/T on the bracket.
But note, this type deduction can be made only when you have the numeric distribution which has narrowed you down to only one more slot being OUT
SELECTION - mult rules w/ NOT pair rules, but remaining slots include a pair!
See attached, in the blue spaces, due to the ~FT, ~PY rules, you KNOW you will have to borrow one from FT and borrow the other from PY. This doesn’t quite capture and reflect the ~PT rule, but just keep the ~PT rule in mind. The placeholders will still help with questions!
SELECTION – avoid vertical “not”blocks…Are vertical block rules like this ok in Selection games? (F and K cannot both be selected)?
F
~
K
No, better to write it as F –> ~K in selection games. Or just make it into two F/K placeholders but be careful where you put the other placeholder. Turn it into an if-then stmt for Selection games, make it POSITIVE to Negative if then stmt. Much more useful.
For other games block may be ok
Note Notice this is a bit different than how we write rules in Grouping non-selection games, where we would indeed use “not” bubbles
SEQ - WHAT TO LABEL GROUPS (entity vs entity type?), AND WHAT TO PUT IN GROUPS?? See your Word document in the LSAT Round 2 study folder
Key before deciding: What is your game type? Do you have Seq Mult Set – or Seq Same Set?
How to tell the difference? Ask what your entities are matching up to!
If one set of entities matches with MORE THAN ONE of the other set of entity then you may have SEQ SAME SET, meaning you have to sequence one of the sets more than one time (e.g. PT 68 voicemails/websites - I, S and T each matched up to a W and V. Not the same as domestic PT 50 Airports).
If you are
When you have two sets of entities (say one with 5 lectures OPRST, one with 2 theaters GH) for a sequencing game, how to decide whether to
1) Name the groups after the Smaller Entities make the smaller set of entities as GROUPS Theater G and Theater H and fill in with OPRST and 5 nulls…OR
2) Name the groups not after any entities, but instead name them after Entity Types: (Lectures and Theaters)
Generally it is better to make the game smaller with fewer nulls, so lean toward naming after entity types (option 2)
But note, if you have a repeating entities + same place issue, this changes thigns (like PT 68 website - voicemail game) it may be better to name your groups after the smaller set of entities to allow the I S and T to repeat – note I S and T will each match up to a W and also a V…
Game Types.
The Gladwyn Hall game is SEQ-Multiple Sets because each place in the sequence (1st, 2nd, etcetera) has two characteristics - one for the topic (OPRST) and one for the G-H distinction. This creates two sequences but each having its own set of entities.
The Website and Voicemail game feels very much the same but instead of each sequence having its own set of entities, the two sequences (one for website and the other for voicemail) use the same set of entities (IST).. So, this is SEQ-Same Set.
Labeling. In the W-V game, because each sequence uses the same set of entities (IST), we need label each sequence with the W and the V to keep them straight. In the Gladwyn Hall Game, you have no need to label each sequence because the difference is self-evident once you get a letter on the diagram.
SEQUENCING SAME PLACE w/ 6 entities and 4 slots, do you just stack em up?
No, draw an extra row of slots IF the max in each slot is 2. Create nulls to make up difference. Draw rows until it captures your max # in a single slot.
SEQUENCING: What is “limited ends?” What are some deep deductions possible?
How to determine the slot spaces to put ~ under for ea letter
Sequencing games only:
EVERY sequencing rule elicits some kind of limited ends deduction. Limited ends refers to the ends of the diagram…how the ends are LIMITED by any sequencing rules.
- Ask yourself, who CAN go first and who can go last.
- Go through each letter to see how many must be before it, and how many must be after, write ~ under letters. E.g. if L must have at least two letters before it, write ~L under first two slots.
- Look for clash with existing placed stuff! Deeper deduction w/ clash – if you have specific placements attached to L, look for slots where placing L would make other stuff CLASH or land on top of stuff…i.e. it’s not just the number of letters before the L, it is where those letters land wrt stuff already placed in existing slots (see PT 81 concert gamed, the L and O placement can yield deeper ~ deductions
- Don’t double count! Also note when you are counting spaces that MUST be before or after a letter, don’t double count a letter AND a blank spot which that letter can fall into! E.g. in attached the L must have at least 2 AFTER it, not 3, because the N could fall into the blank slot. So put a ~L under the last 2 spaces of the sequence, or last 2 slots under the bracket which this thing is hovering over. Also put a ~L under any slot which would make the O fall onto another letter two slots ahead!
SEQUENCING - INCHWORM What is the best way to create scenarios if you have 6 spaces, 6 entities, but a rule says that 3 entities ABC cannot be next to each other?
Draw the rule with placeholders and elipses (A/B/C_…A/B/C_…A/B/C), and create the scenarios CATERPILLAR Style: Hold all, Hold first 2 but shift last, Hold first current and last current but shift second, Hold second current and third current but shift last.
A_B_C_
A_B__C
A__B_C
_A_B_C
SEQUENCING - REPEATING ENTITIES… if you have 2 Fs, 2 Gs, and 2 Ls, how best to write “there is exactly one F before the first G?” What about
Don’t just write F1…G1… instead try to put all the Fs and Gs in the rule
Generally, try to include as many entities as possible in the sequencing rules! Include subscripts if it helps to keep track of which.
SEQUENCING - 3 entity bracket w/ 2 in a rule… How do you best handle a 3 entity on bracket situation (sequencing rule of 2 entities, plus a drifter)?
SEQUENCING - PLACEMENT that DIVIDES a game…How do you best approach a game with placement that divides the game?
They are testing to see if you can deduce from the rules what must go before and after the placed “dividing” entity. I.e. they may try to trick you into thinking stretchy W must go before Q…but remember entities on difft branches have no relp. Can you set up the rules correctly, and interpret them correctly?
SEQUENCE - PLACEHOLDERS as part of ELIPSES with at least one space between, all on bracket…How do you quickly do the Placeholder on Brackets situation in a game?
eg handling (T/V_…T/V) on a bracket of 4 slots, basically from a rule saying T and V cannot be adjacent. You can deduce that one T/V will be in first 2, and other T/V in second 2
How do quickly handle a Block on Bracket situation in a game?
If block is more than half length of bracket, see where block overlaps as you shift
SEQUENCING: block on bracket, blowing up a bracket How do you handle a BUAB blowing up a bracket aka EXTENDED LIMITED ENDS game?
How does a FH/HF…KL/LK…J play out in a sequencing game of 7 slots?
5 entities 7 spaces, so 2 shifts and 3 scenarios
SEQUENCING - DEEP DEDUCTION that only one of unplaced entities can go BETWEEN two ends of a BLOCK If you have a pair of placeholders already located in slots that are 2 or more spaces apart for a sequencing game, but the pair of entities comprising those placeholders each are ALSO in independent rules that each require 2 other entities after them, what is a deep deduction you can make?
Deep deduction is that NOT BOTH of those “other entities” can go BETWEEN the placed placeholders, and at least one of the 2 placeholders will go after. In other words, just imagine what would be forced if those placeholders were S or T. You have to have at least one O/W AFTR
E.g. if you have
Unplaced Entities:
N, O, W
Rules:
S…O
T…W
Placements (6 spots total, with 2,3, and 5 open):
S/T _ _ S/T _ P
Deep Deduction: Put an O/W in spot 5 because not both O and W can go between the S/Ts!! Then put N and O/W on a bracket covering spot 2 and spot 3
Sequencing game, repeating entities involved in a block - easy to make this mistake
Be careful when you have a block or rule associating with one of a repeated entity. It is easy to forget this block is associated with the FIRST of a repeated entity But if a rule or block associates with a repeated entity, that could go with ANY of the repated entity. For example, the GC block in the attached could go with ANY of the Cs (C is the repeated entity) and so you may forget that G can be in the 4th slot (but not the 6th because the N would fall off). So the G could go in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th…although soon you realize that 2nd doesn’t work and neither does 3rd!
SEQUENCING If you have two Gs and three Rs, what does this rule look like?
“There is a G that is before any R”
You branch all the Rs to all be AFTER the first G (remember ANY = ALL) but remember this doesn’t rule out the possibility that both Gs are before all Rs. Remember separate branches don’t have relationships with each other except indirectly with the specific entity where the branches join.
key: “a” is like at least one, “any” is like all
PT 63 Green Red White game
SEQUENCING - what to play scenarios with? Approach to Sequencing game with 4 slots…when you have a linear three amenity rule like 3…7…5, your initial reaction is to try to make the FIRST amenity part of the power or (i.e. 3 can go first or second only)…but what are two other approaches you should pause and consdier?
Consider playing the MIDDLE entity (7) of 3…5…7 as second or third as part of power or, because it pushes stuff around and allows you to place individual entities 3 and 5 on bracket rather than rules on bracket (7…5)
Consider inchworm on 3…5…7 and avoiding power or by playing 4 scenarios with 3…7…5 inchworms
Take it in bites, try to place individual entities, keep it small
Take a minute to pause and visualize think about how each rule plays out, how they interact, which makes stuff happen
PT 83 enviro
SEQUENCING - HOW TO WRITE - CANNOT BE CONSECUTIVE or MUST HAVE ONE SPACE BETWEEN and you don’t know order…If you have language in a sequencing game that says R must have at least one space between itself and V, whether it is before V or after V, or perhaps R and V cannot be on CONSECUTIVE days…what is the best way to write this as a rule?
Tempting to make it an OR style rule, but it is better not to…
Instead of doing R_…V / V…_R, make it into a single rule with placeholders R/V_….R/V…and then you can make deep deduction of where ONE of those R/V placeholders must fall on a bracket in order to keep at least slot between the 2. See PT 81 amusement operator game
R/V_…R/V is better than a complicated R_…V/V_…R rule
SEQ - STD - REP ENTITIES
How to write out “the first and fifth play will be the same, and the second and seventh will be the same?”
Just write the number slot in a block (yes vertical but that’s ok)
And be assertive – anytime you deduce something for first slot (say ~H), put it in fifth spot immediately, and vice versa. And do same with second and seventh slots.
SEQUENCING How do you play out a 24 “block” (must be same entity on 2 and 4) on a 4 entity 6 space sequencing game?
PT 35 Professor Hiring first sounds like a normal sequencing game, but then it says each professor has one or more specialties, and blah blah “shared speciality” rules rules rules…how to handle the “speciality” entities?
Don’t! It’s a distraction. We are still in a standard sequencing game, one set, one group.
At first you may think you need to make a second group and/or start naming the specialties with complicated names like Smto, Snr, Sos, etc…but slow down. It’s still a standard sequencing game! Instead, notice what the rules on “shared speciality” are controlling–simply which professors can go where! Speciality does not need to be a separate entity type. And notice it is unnamed. So just place NOT symbols in each slot according to the “shared speciality” rules.
Don’t name stuff the TMs don’t name.
If you have ONE or more set of entities which are limited to 1 match with each of the other set of entities, then you do NOT have a Std Grid Game. You have some kind of non-grid game: Grouping, Grouping-Two Group, or Grouping Selection.
After you realize it is not a Std Grid Game, you need to decide how to create and label your non-grid diagram.
- Horiz line, maybe vert line: Begin making a chart with a horizontal line, and add underscores below for placeholders to reflect numeric distribs as much as possible based on info you have. Don’t forget to add a null where a group size is exact (e.g. “there are exactly two mauve dinosaurs in the display”) so you will know further down the game that you cannot add more to that group. If there is some kind of selection (in-out) component you will need to draw a vertical line to create a T-chart so you can have an Out category distinct from your In category.
- Label above horiz line? Or none? How to decide what to label ACROSS THE TOP of a selection or grouping game?
If it were a simple in-out selection, you’d label nothing above chart related to entities, just In and Out.
If it’s Grouping, Grouping-Two Group, or Grouping Selection, then you will need to pick which set of entities go across top of “In” category.
- If you are labeling across the horiz line, which entities to use?
The set that CAN be associated with more than one of the restricted entity set, e.g. Colors in the Dinosaur game, hopefully the smaller set, to make the game smaller should go across the top. Put that set that CANNOT go “out” across the top. Those entities become the Groups aka buckets into which other stuff will go.
What goes INTO the now-defined Groups will be the set of entities that CANNOT be associated with more than one. If those entites were able to be associated with more than one now-definted Group, you would have made an error because that is a Std Association Grid Game!
ASSOC - GROUPING (note, not a SELECTION game w/ in-out, just a plain old GROUPING game)
How do you write…
- If F joins a site, T does not join that site
- B joins a site that exactly one other person joins
- T and N do not join the same s
Use bubbles, slots, and placeholders!
Also notice you put the B under 2 in your numeric distribs, becasuse you were just told that B is in a category with exactly one other
Notice this is a bit different than how we write rules in Selection games, where we avoid “not” blocks
Two more deep deductions: B cannot go with Z, T, or N…leaving us only E and F as being able to go with B, so you can put an E/F placeholder in your second B slot, and since the B bubble is then full, we know therefore E and F cannot go together
Then play out 3 scenarios with placement of TN block in S, M, and then J – placing blocks is very common for playing out Grouping games!
ASSOCIATION - GROUPS - UNNAMED in PROMPT What do you do in your game setup when the TMs mention categories or groups but do not NAME the groups? For example, “three study groups” as opposed to “Study Groups 1, 2, and 3”?
Also look out for what overdeduction?
Do NOT name anything the TMs leave unnamed!
Just use same symbol for all 3! Diagram should simply be S, S, S groups in this case. And just begin placing your entities in any of the groups and go from there!
If you DO play out scenarios with unnamed groups (i.e power or, trig trig neither, trig true trig false etc), do RULE based not PLACEMENT based (no grids or slots, just hovering)
Related: even if they ARE named, car 1, car 2 like in PT 61 but the rules don’t relate to car 1 and car 2 at all (just generic references to cars in rules) leave the car categories unnamed. At least until questions raise the issue. Related example - PT61 Drivers game names Car 1 and Car 2, but since the rules don’t refer to Car 1 or Car 2 AT ALL, you just play out T charts that are UNTITLED.
Know that you can just place entities more readily (directly) on the diagram because places are not distinguished. BUT be careful – don’t overdeduce –when you are placing stuff on the diagram – don’t start putting entities “together” (i.e. on the same team, in same group, etc) that don’t necessary have to be. See PT 55 Opening and Closing arguments–in that game ONLY the MV and MG rule speaks to stuff on the same Team–the other entities should be placed in Opening or Final only, not on spec teams!
May even avoid scenarios or power ors
BUT notice if you are given Car 1 and Car 2 in the prompt (PT 61 Drivers game) and none of the rules say anything about Car 1 and Car 2, you should proceed with Power-Or with generic Car labels as if they are unnamed categories. Maybe later in questions they will bring up up Car 1 and Car 2 but at least in the beginning you cannot say anything about that. Car and Car, that’s it.
ASSOCIATION - STD GRID GAME – how would you best identify a Strong Cell or Cells?
If you can find a Strong Cell or Cells, should you play out
- Trig True Trig False?
- Trig Trig Neither?
- Or Power Or?
When you have multiple strong cells, should you do power or..or maybe it would be better to do trig trig neither?
Great game for this: PT 45 Export Alliance
And what if you can’t find a strong cell at all?
*don’t forget to put grand total at LRH cell if you can, it may help deduce**
To identify a Strong Cell, look for a cell that is most LIMITED in its row and column (i.e.cell that would, if checked or unchecked, cause snowball of other cells to be completed). Good indicator is also to look at current RANGE of numeric distrib in row and column, or if there is already an X or V in the same row or column. Also look at entities involved in MULTIPLE RULES
Once you have ID’d a strong cell or strong cells, you can…
- Play Trig True Trig False (one strong cell, 2 scenarios)
- Play Trig Trig Neither (two strong cells, 3 scenarios)
- Play Power Or (two strong cells, 4 scenarios)
- But if there are no strong cells, maybe there are no scenarios! It’s ok! (PT 47 record store)
Don’t forget if you have TWO strong cells, you don’t have to do a POWER OR, in fact if you see some mutual exclusivity you could save time and instead do Trig Trig Neither. Note that Trig Trig Neither is like a Power Or when one of the scenario fails. E.g. in the PT 45 Export Alliance Game, you have two strong cells (Xs and Yr). But on the right hand side you can see the Grand Total of 6 means no more than one export can have 2, meaning having Xs and Yr both being activated would crash the scenario of having Xs and Yr activated at the same time. So skip the Power Or (4 scenarios) and do Trig Trig Neither (3 scenarios). AND notice that when you are playing out the scenarios for Trig Trig Neither on mutually exclusive triggers, you know Trigger 2 is FALSE when Trigger 1 is on, and Trigger 1 is FALSE when Trigger 2 is on, due to that mutual exclusivity
In a check/X grid game, the interaction of RULES and NUMERIC DISTRIBs can yield many deductions…
numeric grid usually 12 cells or less, std grid maybe up to 21 cells max
Example: attached, page 76 lesson book
Deduction 1: From interaction of EXACT row/col numeric distrib with a rule The interaction between EXACT numeric distrib and rules might reveal an extra check or X (see cell C-P in attached).
Deduction 2: From interaction of INEXACT row/col numeric distrib with a rule: Then for the row or col w/ inexact numeric distrib (i.e. ranges), the interaction with the rules may reveal a limit on the numeric distrib , in green: (see attached ste row R is capped at 1 bc of ~BN rule)
Deduction 3: From interaction of full-blown entity numeric distrib with a rule: as you lay out your full numeric distributions, you see that the ~BN rule would kill any distribs that have B and N summing up to anything greater than 4. Note the the column min of B becomes 2 due to B>P rule, and P has a min of 1.
Deduction 4, total gifts: From the sum of column ranges at the bottom and sum of row ranges at the right: you take the highest minimum (4, from the row: 2+1+1) and lowest maximum (6, from the column: 2+1+2+1) and you know your total gifts range 4-6.
Then play Strong Cell, 2 scenarios. But what is the strong cell? D-P because the P column is the most filled, and the D row has exactly 1 as its total. Play one scenario with D-P checked and one scenario with D-P as an ex. And note that checking D-P will fill up the D row and D column, and if you look at the numeric distribs, you see you land in the 3-1-2 distribution, so B must total 3, and since B-D is X’d, then B-C, B-E, and B-R must be checked to total 3, and then N column fills up with four X’s, therefore crashing that whole scenario. Your only remaining scenarios is the second one.
See attached. Keep out out for rules that say stuff MUST or CANNOT go together because it may lead to a checkmark or X in a particular cell!
I.e. Since you have the M–>S and ~S–>~M rule, and Gj is already X…you can deduce that at LEAST Gs is a check mark. Because otherwise if Gs is an X, that would force Gm to be an X and then the whole G column is Xs, totaling zero. That would violate the min 1. Gm could be either check or X.
**note all columns must total to at least 1 in this game, according to the rules of PT 82 #19-23 Presentation game. That limitation, along with M S rule, is key to deducing that Gs is check mark
Something similar can happen the other way around–if a row of 3 (B, N, P) has a minimum of 2, yet there is a rule that says B and N cannot go together, you can deduce that P is a check mark.
ASSOCIATION - STD GRID - what “kills maximums” in a Grid Game? What does “be skeptical of extreme maxes/mins of numeric distributions?”
When you see a rule in a grid game saying that certain entities cannot go together, like a J–> ~M rule, or in tilde block form saying that certain entities never can go together, think about the effect that rule has on the original numeric ranges of EACH of those entities. It may KILL the maximum of those entities’ original ranges IF the original max was otherwise filling up the whole row.
In grid games look for the rules saying stuff cannot go together or have things in common. Then look at the numeric ranges involve a “max max” and see how that interacts with the rules! Then revise ranges, apply other rules, etc. Rule kills the numeric max, that numeric max may affect other numeric max, then reapplying rules max affect other numeric maxes, etc.
Also remember if you have exact numbers at the Row Sum Footer, or exact numbers at the Column Sum Edge, put the Grand Total in the LRH cell! May help w/ deductions
E.g. for a three-column game, with J K L M O in the rows.and you are given an original range of the J row = 1 - 3, and your are given an original range of the M row = 2 - 3.
But then you have a rule saying J –> ~M. That rule, in combination with the minimum J value of 1, means that there is no way that M can have all 3 full. So the M row range now becomes exactly 2. The J–> ~M rule killed the original max J row value of 3 and leaves you with 2 as the M value.
See attached from PT 42. The yellow Jmin of 1 and the yellow ~JM block are going to KILL the yellow Mmax of 3. That 3 becomes 2. So the J becomes exactly 1, and in fact, the K becomes 1 and L becomes 1 become of the other rules
Note the ~JL rule does not affect the original L max of 2, because a max of 2 is not filling up the whole row. The L was already capped at 2 because of the L
ASSOCIATION - GRID “M & S will be together at least once” In a Standard Grid game, with 4 types of trees (STOM) and 2 parks (GL) how do the scenarios look if the rules say “M and S will be together at least once”?
3 scenario using MS block. Do not forget the “both” scenario.
ASSOCIATION - NUMERIC GRID GAME, HOW TO APPROACH? try Jay and Silent Bob game at 1:21:00 here https://bit.ly/34XXVNh
Or PT 67 Zones - jSubzones game here: https://bit.ly/3no8Ciz
numeric grid usually 12 cells or less, std grid maybe up to 21 cells max
- Place Grand Total in LRH if possible
-
Work from edges inward to complete ranges, holding others and keeping eye on rules
- Complete Row Ranges and Col Ranges by holding maxes and mins of other cells and subtracting, and also apply rules assembly line style, and repeat
- t_o find MIN for ea cell, hold all OTHER cells in that row to their MAX, subtract that sum from Grand Total for that row_
- to find MAX for ea cell, hold all OTHER cells in that row to their MIN, subtract that sum from Grand Total for that row
- repeat for rest of Row Ranges, and Col Ranges
- Complete Ranges in Individual Cells (keeping eye on rules!)
- Might have to repeat between adjusting Row/Col ranges and Cell ranges several times! Might have to reapply rules!
- Complete Row Ranges and Col Ranges by holding maxes and mins of other cells and subtracting, and also apply rules assembly line style, and repeat
- Find Strong Cell: what column is most limited? what row is most limited by rules?
- Play Strong Cell for 2 scenarios, not every number in strong cell range
- Get grid out, get fixed rules on the grid, get fixed range information on grid
- Try to deduce Grand Total: Check if you can deduce a grand total or grand total range and put in LRH corner. This can help you complete ranges of rows and columns!
- Try to complete Row Ranges by holding others: Go along each Row Range total, trying to complete each range:
- 3a. find max for that row by holding rest of column at each of their mins, subtract from Grand Total.
- 3b. Find min for that row by holding rest of column at each of their maxes, subtract from Grand Total. Go to next Row Range, repeat
- 3c check if any other rules cap or limit those Row Ranges!
- Try to complete Column Ranges by holding others: Go along each Column Range total, trying to complete each range:
- 3a. Find max for that column by holding rest of row at each of their mins, subtract from Grand Total.
- 3b. Find min for that column by holding rest of row at each of their maxes, subtract from Grand Total. Go to next Column Range, repeat
- 3c check if any other rules cap or limit those Column Ranges!
- Try to complete Individual Cell ranges in same fashion by holding others mix to find max, holding others max to find min, etc, but keep eye on rules
- Find Strong Cell, play two scenarios: in the Jay Silent Bob game, more of the rules apply to Jay, and more of the ruoles apply to Burrito. So go with J-B as your STRONG CELL Use that strong cell to play out scenarios. But note that you won’t play out 4 scenarios J-B = 0, 1, 2, 3. Just do TWO scenarios: Strong Cell J-B is 0, and Strong Cell J-B is NOT ZERO
ASSOCIATION - 3 WAY GRID Will it ever have scenarios?
3 way grid will often not have scenarios! OFten it will be enough to set up the game correctly. 3 WAY grid is NOT that hard. Don’t confuse with Numeric Grid, which is hard.
Keys:
- Since there are so many entities involved, make the game as SMALL and CLEAN as possible. Sometimes you must balance small and clean (Mannequns PT 29 e..g is cleaner as 8 cell grid rather than 6 cell grid)
- SMALL: the bigger set of entities should be what goes IN the grid, with smaller sets on row header and column header
- CLEAN: want only one ENTITY in each cell – so actually the smallest grid may not be CLEAN in the sense that that smallest grid would force you to put more than one entity in each cell! In that case a midsize grid may be best
- Since the game is so multidimensional put the rules ON the sides of the grid to clarify what dimenstion they are referring to. E.g. in the attached, no band can play on the same stage twice–put that as a not block next to end of rows! No band can play in the same city twice–put tht as a not block beneath the columns!
- Note that a numeric distribution in a 3 way grid game would just be like the number of times each entity goes somewhere on the grid
PROCEDURE How do you approach a “procedure game?”
Will be based on Selection, Sequencing, or Association…but it will be about “rules of change” rather than traditional rules
CIRCULAR How do you approach a “circular sequencing” game?
Just like sequencing. Either keep flat and remember first and last are same, or draw in circle
INDEF SEQ How do you handle an “indefinite sequence” game?
Just assume longest possible, or try 10max. BE ready to have placeholders
Sequencing Fiona bungees before Gunther or before Happy, BUT NOT BOTH
Flat Rule with F in the center H…F…G | G…F…H
Sequencing Fiona bungees before Gunther or after Happy, BUT NOT BOTH
Gangsta Rule w/ F on Points
SEQUENCING - SEQUENCING WITHIN a SEQUENCE
when writing these rules, don’t forget the hidden “ors” that can result – i.e. the 2 entities can be at the same time, or on the same day at different times.
Also if you have AM and PM shifts but the rule says J some DAY before O, don’t be afraid to use BRACKETS to build out the rule
