Friday, June 27, 2008

Puzzle Championship Series Rankings Released!

Well folks, the long-awaited first edition of SoSG's Puzzle Championship Series (PCS) Rankings - the world's most prestigious and widely-recognized measure of puzzle-solving prowess - has been calculated and released. So without further ado, here they are:

Rank Player (Wins)
PCS Tour
Points
1
quadsevens (3)
332
2
orel
314
3
Loney Fan (1)
120
4
erin (1)
117
T-5
benjamin pratt
60
T-5
stolenmonkey86
60
7
steve sax
30
8
dangarion
25
T-9
cigarcow
24
T-9
dusto magnifico
24
11
chad fonville
20
T-12
alex cora
12
T-12
berkowit28
12
T-12
fanerman
12
T-12
karina
12
T-12
mike scioscia's t.i.
12

As you can see, quadsevens is hanging onto the #1 ranking, but the last puzzle has allowed SoSG orel to close the gap.

Although I can't yet reveal exactly how the rankings are calculated, they are loosely based on the PGA and ATP Tour ranking formulas, with some necessary adjustments. Here are a few guidelines:

  • They're as objective as possible, although I sometimes have to make subjective judgment calls.
  • They're based on the results of a rolling 7-puzzle span, which at this time goes back to this puzzle. Thus, the results from this puzzle will no longer count after the next puzzle (the SoSG Quiz isn't considered a puzzle).
  • For each puzzle, the first correct solution submitted garners the most points. The 2nd correct solution gets the 2nd-most points, and all subsequent correct solutions garner the 3rd-most points.
  • Each puzzle is categorized as either easy, normal, or difficult, and a minor adjustment is made to the point totals awarded accordingly.
  • There is a small point award for effort/participation, even if you don't get the right solution.
  • Rankings will be updated and posted after each new puzzle.

And please keep in mind that while it took NASA almost a decade to come up with the BCS Rankings formula, these PCS Rankings were developed by one guy in about 10 minutes. So they might not be perfect and are subject to possible revision, but I think they're pretty good.

Good luck next puzzle!

11 comments:

cigarcow said...

If I knew rankings were involved I would've tried harder!

QuadSevens said...

My brain was lagging on the chess puzzle. Late nights in Las Vegas and a 6 hour drive home aren't the best prep for a puzzle day. But I am glad to see that surfing around wookieepedia all day has finally paid off.

Eric Karros said...

How committed are you? How much do you want it? These are the questions the great ones don't have to ask themselves. They already know the answer.

There are approximately 2 weeks until the next opportunity to boost your ranking. You can use that time going to Vegas or lamenting about how you could have tried harder. Or you can dedicate every minute of that time and every fiber of your being to becoming the greatest puzzle solver that ever walked theis earth.

Orel said...

(cue "Eye of the Tiger")

cigarcow said...

I'm heading up north for the Dodgers games in SF next weekend. Make the quiz related to that so I can shoot up the rankings.

cigarcow said...

I mean "next puzzle" not quiz. Work crept into my online persona there.

karina said...

Wow, Eric. Now i'm feeling guilty that i actually have an offline life, i feel like i'm underachieving or not devoting myself to the puzzles.

Orel said...

Then EK's dastardly plan has worked!

Eric Karros said...

Yeah sorry Karina, I got a little carried away there. I think I've been seeing too many Tony Robbins commercials on TV.

Erin said...

I'm assuming the "erin" on the list is me, but I really don't remember ever getting one of these correct. Refresh my memory, please.

Eric Karros said...

Erin, you were awarded full points for the Gibson scramble puzzle and half for the Cameron Diaz scramble puzzle. Bet you never thought your work on those puzzles would pay off in such a big way down the road, huh?

I do think they were among the easiest puzzles, and are actually the main reason why I decided to adjust points based on difficulty level.