Puzzle #1 · Wednesday, September 30

Eight historical figures.
Where does each one fit?

Put each historical figure in the category where it scores best: one to a category, in the lineup's order, so plan for the ones still to come. The better the fit, the bigger the trick, and five judges score each wave out of 10, for up to 80.0 in all.

Levi StraussSold the first blue jeans
Queen VictoriaQueen who gave her name to an era
Florence NightingaleFounder of modern nursing, "the lady with the lamp"
RaphaelPainter of The School of Athens
Ludwig van BeethovenComposed the Ninth Symphony while deaf
David BowieShape-shifter of Ziggy Stardust
CaravaggioPainter of dramatic light and shadow
Joan of ArcTeenage peasant who led an army

Ancient history1 pt per doubling over 2 years since birth
Namesake1 pt per 20 things named after them
Long life1 pt per 5 years lived past 40
Much studied1 pt per 8 works about them
Far from home1 pt per doubling over 4 miles from birthplace
Portrait sitter1 pt per 8 works that depict them
Out of this world10 pts if a crater is named after themYes or no
Most looked-up1 pt per 400,000 Wikipedia views in 2025

Figures come from Wikidata and Wikipedia’s own page views. Portraits from Wikimedia Commons. No clock: take your time. One scored game per device per day; replays are practice.

How to play

Eight historical figures and eight categories a day, the same for everyone. A new board rolls in at midnight Pacific.
You see the whole lineup from the start, and place the historical figures in its order. Put each in an open category: it scores 0 to 10 there. Each category takes one historical figure, so plan for the ones still to come.
Every match is a wave, and the sets build through the heat, from 5 ft for the firsthistorical figure to 30 ft for the last. The better the fit, the bigger the trick: a 0 is a wipeout, a 10 big air.
Five judges hold up cards for every wave, the match's score out of 10, and the high and the low are dropped. Your score is your eight waves added up, up to 80.0, set against the best board the day's historical figures allow. Every day has a near-perfect one: 77.6 or better.
Your first game on a device counts. Replays are practice.

The trick each score earns
Score	Trick
10.0	Backflip or Air 360
8.5-9.9	Indy grab
6.5-8.4	Frontside air
4.5-6.4	Lip snap
2.5-4.4	Carve
0.1-2.4	Wipeout
0.0	Big wipeout

The categories, and how each one scores. Years since birth and miles from birthplace count doublings: each one adds the points on the tile, so 50 to 100 years ago counts as much as 1,000 to 2,000. Someone still living sits out how long they lived and how far from home they died.

Ancient history: Years since they were born: 1 point for every doubling over 2, so 128 years ago scores 6, 1,024 years 9, and about 2,000 years or more 10.
Long life: How old they were when they died: 1 point for every 5 years past 40, so 65 scores 5, 90 or more 10, and under 40 scores 0. Someone whose birth or death is known only to the century sits this one out.
Far from home: How far from their birthplace they died: 1 point for every doubling over 4 miles, so 32 miles scores 3, 256 miles 6, 2,048 miles 9, and about 4,000 miles or more 10. Dying in the town of your birth scores 0.
Namesake: Streets, schools, ships, species, awards and more named after them, as Wikidata counts them: 1 point for every 20, so 100 scores 5, and 200 or more 10.
Portrait sitter: Paintings, statues, coins, films and more that depict them, as Wikidata counts them: 1 point for every 8, so 40 scores 5, and 80 or more 10.
Much studied: Books, papers, films and more whose main subject is them, as Wikidata counts them: 1 point for every 8, so 40 scores 5, and 80 or more 10.
Decorated: Awards, medals and honors they received, as Wikidata lists them: 1 point for every 2, so 10 scores 5, and 20 or more 10.
Big family: How many children they had: 1 point each, and 10 or more scores 10. Someone whose children Wikidata doesn't record sits this one out.
Most looked-up: How often people read their English Wikipedia article in 2025: 1 point for every 400,000 views, so 2 million scores 5, and 4 million or more 10.
Known worldwide: How many languages Wikipedia has an article on them in: 1 point for every 25, so 125 languages scores 5, and 250 or more 10.
Nobel laureate: They won a Nobel Prize (physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, peace, or economics): 10 points.
Out of this world: A crater on the Moon, Mercury, Mars or elsewhere is named after them: 10 points. Mercury's are named for artists, writers and composers.
Born in Europe: They were born in Europe, as the country of their birthplace lies today: 10 points. A birthplace in a country on two continents (Russia, Turkey, Egypt) sits this one out.
Born in Asia: They were born in Asia, the Middle East included, as the country of their birthplace lies today: 10 points.
Born in the Americas: They were born in North, Central or South America or the Caribbean: 10 points.

Ride the curve. When you finish, you'll see how your heat stacks up against everyone who played today.

Calm motion

Rides play without flips, spins, or tumbling, waves rise in place instead of rolling in, and the sea stays still.

No sign-up. We store only an anonymous, hashed device ID with your scores. Figures come from Wikidata and Wikipedia’s own page views. Portraits from Wikimedia Commons. Each photo's author and license are under it. More in About.