How to calculate the point?

[kittyphon]

How do you calculate the point?
Does it only use the time to calculate?

Thanks

[Laura]

Hi Kitty:

Points earned depend on the difficulty of the puzzle as well as how quickly you've solved it. Here's a quote from Admin on another thread:

Puzzle scores are awarded based on time elapsed. Generally speaking, very good solvers can knock out a puzzle in 4-5 minutes, and those are awarded higher scores than those solved in 15-20 minutes.

The longer you play, the faster you'll be solving puzzles ... and getting those higher scores.

Laura

[pcuser]

Hi Kitty:

Laura is absolutely correct. It may take a while, but when your times start to go down, they can go down far and fast.

Regards,
pcuser

[kittyphon]

Thanks for all answers

Kitty

PS.
I want to know how to solve the puzzle in only 1 or 2 minutes?
My fastest is about 3 min.

[adamwho]

For 5x5 games
Points = -(1/3)*time_in_sec + 535

For 4x4 games
These are on the line:
Points = -(1/3)*time_in_sec + 375

This of course, is not the whole picture since even really terrible finish times give some points, so it is likely that the scoring is not a single line but piece-wise continuous.

[pcuser]

Hi all,

Based on that equation that appears to accurately chart scores for finished puzzles, the best strategy is to get really good at solving puzzles in the 600-700 second range. These puzzles are short enough to get really good times and scores. When trying to solve short 4X4 puzzles, I only get around 330 points even if I set a new record for it.

As for getting faster, it still comes down to practice. I've improved markedly even after I thought I was really good. There are plateaus that can persist for a while before progress is seen.

pcuser