Reply to post #41 (show post):
I would find that useful. My brain works best with visual clues and I love tables and graphs. I always have to put these challenges into a table or spreadsheet before even beginning my plan of attack, and I hadn't even got around to trying to figure out the point system yet.

Reply to post #41 (show post):
I think that would be useful for helping figure out points. Though admittedly, with my obsession with spreadsheets... I sort of already have my own system ready to track my points... O.o

I am basically just doing a =count on my Google spreadsheet, which will only count the number of numerical data in a given range. So whenever I finish an activity (book read/ task done), I add a finished date to the row, and that adds to my count. Stuff I've chosen not to do are marked with an 'XX', which doesn't add to the count.

Reply to post #44 (show post):
I was thinking of doing something similar, but haven't really thoroughly read the scoring rules enough to figure out how to structure it.

I'm working on the design of a very simple spreadsheet to keep track of my reads and tasks. Before I get too involved in it, I have a very basic question:

My understanding (which is usually messed up) is that we have 16 squares, each of which represents two holidays. Each holiday has a Read and a Task for points. Each square, therefore, has four opportunities for a point, for a total of 64 points to "black out" the game.

I'm not going to get into the jokers and stuff, until I make sure I've got the basics.

In what Linda Hilton said is that mean we just need to read or do one task for each square? And we can do any of the squares in any order we want?

@Linda: That is exactly right.

@Nighttime: You only need to do one "thing" for each square to mark it complete: it can be read a book or do a task. But for the super-motivated, they are free to do as many as they like, and earn up to 4 points per square.

The squares can be completed in any order, and at any pace.

RE: spreadsheet design that can be copy/pasted into posts. I'll see what I can come up with. I have an overnighter family obligation tonight and it's going to be one of those where I'm either going to not be online at all, or I'll have all sorts of free time to play around with a table - either way, I should have some time work on it tomorrow. I'll let you guys know what, if anything, I come up with. I want it to be as easy to use for everybody as possible.

Looking over my planning spreadsheet, it looks like square 5 just has the one holiday - Advent. So to get the maximum of four points, do we just read 2 books and do 2 tasks from the options listed?

Same with square 16 - I see 2 book themes but only 1 task theme (Kwanzaa) and no corresponding task for Hogmanay/New Years.

Reply to post #50 (show post):
Some of the holidays were super difficult to come up with tasks for. :P

For Advent, yes you could get the maximum by doing both books and both tasks.

Kwanzaa/Hogmanay/New Years though... where are you looking? We have 4 task options for Hogmanay/NYE (and one for Kwanzaa).

Is it maybe the purple texted Bonus task makes it look like it's the 'end' of that holiday (the NY tasks are underneath the purple Bonus task text.)

Reply to post #51 (show post):
Just wanting to clarify:

If a book/task has several options listed: i.e. Book themes for Dies Natalis Solis Invicti: Celebrate the sun and read a book that has a beach or seaside setting. –OR– a book set during summertime. –OR– set in the Southern Hemisphere.

Could I read a book for one or more of those options, and each count as a point? Like, say, if I wanted to try to get the max 4 points, but none of the book themes from the other holiday on this same square appeals to me, could I read a book for two of the possible book theme options above, then complete the two tasks? Or read three books for each of the options above, then only do one of the tasks?

I assume that once I cross off one of the options in the book theme for a holiday, it's done and cannot be repeated. But the other options in that same holiday could still be open to complete?

And vice versa for the tasks that have multiple options?

Thanks in advance!

Reply to post #16 (show post):
Thanks. Things are better now.

Reply to post #52 (show post):
@Ani: Yes, reading books covering several options for a given holiday works -- same for tasks.

And a book or task option "done" is "done".

Reply to post #54 (show post):
What Themis said. :) (and sorry for the delay in getting back to you - Themis was waiting on me and I was unexpectedly without internet for 24 hours)

Reply to post #55 (show post):
Yes -- your question was a structural / conceptual one that concerned several squares which we'll obviously all want to treat the same way. On those types of questions we'll be conferring before either of us answers, and unfortunately, we're lumbered with a 10 hour time zone difference between the two of us.

Mere clarifications or simple "can I use this book for that square" things will hopefully be answered more quickly! :D

Are audioplays OK for book-tasks? I know a lot of people they're not quite the same as audiobooks. I was specifically thinking of this one which is an adaptation of a book series (and covers the first two books of the series) for the St. Martin/story involving children square.