I noticed on the site tonight that the InstaQuiz Games are to be retired from October.

Won't that make the Twin Challenge very difficult to achieve when we get it in our Daily Challenges Game?

Although this reply doesn't really address the issue you raise, that notice about "being retired in October" isn't recent. It goes back to 2015, I believe, around the time when the Country badge (which used the same InstaQuiz setup) was retired.

That said, I know Terry has mentioned on many an occasion that he is working toward having Flash (which InstaQuiz uses, as well as crosswords, etc) gone and replaced entirely. It's outdated, clunky and not very stable (and Adobe itself is retiring flash by 2020). As for what becomes of InstaQuiz, its fate hasn't been decided (or at least not announced) yet.

Thanks

Yeah, instaquiz will be finally retired as this current modernization continues.

Instaquiz is a dinosaur which is unnecessary for the Twin Challenge or any other point precision challenge, for that matter. There are numerous ways of achieving point precision, which have been discussed numerous times in the FT boards. Using Topic Mashes (or Mixed Quizzes, if you must), any FT point score from 1 point (yes, exactly one point) to 160 or so points can easily be achieved. Say you need 133 points to complete a Twin Challenge. Multiply the desired score by 6. In this case, 133 times 6 is 798. Pick a Topic Mash game that is easy for you. Take your time and get the first eight questions right for, say, 762 points (for example). You need 36 more points. On the ninth question, wait until the timer is at 36 seconds (or 37 or 38 if your reflexes are a bit slow) to click submit. You can be off your target a couple of points either way and still make it because of rounding, so any score from 796-800 will work in this instance. Let's say you were one second off and are now at 799 points. Deliberately miss the last question. You will be awarded exactly 133 FT points for your Topic Mash score of 799, which will allow you to successfully complete your Twin Challenge.

I consider the Twin Challenge one of the easiest of the Difficult Daily Challenges, and have never had problems completing it, even before Topic Mashes were created, as there are several other approaches to point precision. And I have *never* used Instaquiz for point precision. Instaquiz is unnecessary and should be retired. Retiring it will have no appreciable effect on players' abilities to complete the Twin Challenge or any other point precision Challenge. They will simply use alternative methods, which are actually more effective than Instaquiz ever was at achieving point precision.

Oh blow that. I just won't play that challenge any more.

Speaking of challenges that use InstaQuiz ... once it is gone, the Just A Minute mini will have to be either shelved (retired) or changed somehow. Then again, I suppose I'm jumping the gun, discussion-wise.

I use the InstaQuiz all the time for the Twin Challenge too. Sorry, I hate to be dense, but that formula and strategy for using the Mash sounds like Greek to me. Multiply by 6? I don't understand it.

I accept that if the site is changing then Instaquiz has to go. However, We each have our preferred methods of achieving the twin challenge and just because one person chooses a different (and somewhat convoluted method) I don't think it justifies saying that Instaquiz is unnecessary.

I always use Instaquiz too. I've never got to grips with the method described above and by Wes. I tend to go for the 'trial and error' approach - mostly the latter.

I think the mash method of exact score dialing is only convoluted in explanation not in actual practice, once you do it a time or two. (If ever I start to tell someone how to do it, I provide a disclaimer that they risk dying of boredom just reading the spiel. Brm's explanation is a lot more concise than the way I've been explaining it to folks! But obviously it is still off putting to some even thus abbreviated.)

Seriously though, dont turn what I agree is the easiest, hard challenge on site into a major roadblock if your preferred road is aboat to be bulldozed. If you dont like the math of the mash method, this may sound silly, but try it in reverse; not even for the purpose of score matching at first but just to get more comfortable with the mechanics of it. Look at your game score at the end of a duel and divide by 6. That gives you your FT points earned. If it doesnt divide cleanly, you round to the nearest whole nunber with a .5 rounding up.

To MrNobody's point. I had thought of that and have been casually swiping at "Just a Minute" for about two years now. Between the random time of day issue inherent with the challenge, and the fact that it doesnt work on my phone at all, I only seem to get about one shot at it every 20 days or so. Hopefully I can sneak that one in just under the wire before it is retired, like I did with the Country badge.

If that doesnt help you could always manually build a reference table from 1 to 50 or so. It runs on ranges of 6 points, so to score:

1 FT point you need a game score of 3-8
2 FT points = 9-14 game points
3 FT points = 15-20 game points
and so on up to
50 FT points = 297-302 game points

Sort of cumbersome to count off but..once it is done once then you have it ready for repeated use.

You can usually get to somewhere randomly within 50 points of the target pretty readily via conventional play of regular games.

Surely Instaquiz can be converted into a non-flash mode game for us non-rigmarole-inclined players. Please Terry, I beg you...

Another beggar here. Instaquiz was very easy to use, and quite precise.

Thanks for the guidance, answerman. I'm still hoping to avoid it but am prepared to try and learn if forced. We're creatures of habit and hate change.

I'm also one who relies on the instaquizzes for the Twin Challenge; but I also understand the need for flash to be phased out. So is there a third option? Some new game or quiz that would provide the miniscule point results?

What about changing the point scoring of the quick quiz to one point per correct answer?

I'm still fairly new, but I also like the InstaQuiz for completing the Twin Challenge and was hoping that it could either be preserved in a non-Flash way or that, as Seekernym said, a third option could be made available.

I understand that there are other methods available for scoring just 1 or 2 points (or any number), but everyone is different. Some things that might be easy or intuitive for one person aren't for another.

I'll try to learn from the suggestions in this thread, but I also hope that our requests will be considered.

Thanks!

I've never been able to use Insta Quiz. Or play the Country games so I had no chance at that badge. I also have no chance at the crossword puzzle badges.

I had to learn other methods to earn those one or two points methods. I've found answerman's the easiest.

Play a mash. I use one from the Children's category to make sure I do know the answers. I tap the incorrect answer then wait until the counter gets to 8. Tap again and presto! One point! If I get every other answer wrong on the entire mash, then I'll earn one point. If I need two points, then I tap when the counter gets to 8 on two questions.


I couldn't follow what Brian wrote either.

Choices:

1. Instaquiz before it's removed: If you need 2 or 3 points etc to complete the matched scores with your given partner for this challenge, play this lovely easy little game. If you go past your score, wait a couple of minutes and play again - easy as pie. And you have a whole 24 hours in which to do that.

OR:

1. Try the other suggested methods above.

2. Get a degree in mathematics first.

3. Forget the fact that the other suggested methods above rely on finite games - and a stop watch - to reach your score. I.e., you can't go back and try again in a couple of minutes as you can in Instaquiz. Once they're played for the day, that's it.

4. Don't play that particular difficult level daily challenge game at all.

5. Sob.

6. Swop that particular difficult level daily challenge out for another one, even though you really like the challenge of it. It's FUN.

7. Hope Instaquiz can be revived in another form.

Not so, at least for Gold Members, who can play as many Topic Mashes as they like each day as long as they are in different subcategories. Considering how many subcategories there are, that can't be called "finite".



This isn't an option for the Twin Challenge, as anything involving a partner isn't eligible to be swopped.

I find this discussion amusing, so I will contribute a little more to it. Personally, it wouldn't bother me a bit if a non-flash player method of replacing Instaquiz was developed. I wouldn't use it, of course, because I have played a little bit of Instaquiz (just not for real point precision purposes) and find it quite clunky, which I will elaborate on shortly. But first:

Math degree? Multiplying by six? Really?

But as to the limitations of Instaquiz, let me count the ways:

1) Limited range. Since you can't score more than 30 points on a Gold Instaquiz, you have to be much closer to your target than is needed for other methods.

2) Numbers that aren't multiples of 2 or 3. Say you need 25 points. Playing the 3 point Gold Member Instaquiz by itself won't work, nor the 2 point regular Instaquiz. You need a combination of both, and it may actually take a little math to work it out. Oh, my!

3) Unlike Topic Mashes, you can't control or predict the level of difficulty of Instaquiz questions. I've played a few Instaquizzes. Sometimes the questions are easy, sometimes they are actually surprisingly difficult. If you've already hit your point target and have a few questions left that you need to deliberately miss, difficult questions can be big trouble, since you may accidentally pick the right answer when trying to miss, resulting in you having to quit the game and start over again, or worse yet, overshooting your target.

Too much bother. I have no math degree, but I can multiply by 6 and add and subtract a little. Topic Mashes are more efficient for the purpose. With one Topic Mash, I can easily hit any target from 1 to 160 points. And very easy Topic Mashes are plentiful, even though you only really need one.

Doesn't matter. You still can play it two minutes later if you don't get it right first time.

And obviously you wouldn't be using instaquiz to get the majority of the points. Only to finesse those last few ones that are the difference.

You're every so superior, Sport, but you DO do lack a sense of humour it seems. I was having a bit of fun with several of my suggestions - including the mathematics degree.

Your way is wayyyy too complicated. Either than, or its your verbosity that's the problem.

To quote you from your initial response from Page 1 of this topic: You gave the example "You need 36 more points. On the ninth question, wait until the timer is at 36 seconds (or 37 or 38 if your reflexes are a bit slow) to click submit. You can be off your target a couple of points either way and still make it because of rounding, so any score from 796-800 will work in this instance. Let's say you were one second off and are now at 799 points. Deliberately miss the last question. You will be awarded exactly 133 FT points for your Topic Mash score of 799, which will allow you to successfully complete your Twin Challenge."

If, on the other hand I needed 36 points, I'd simply play three Quick Questions to get the 30 points - then Instaquiz to get the remaining 6 points. Easy.

Also, I'm surprised you find some of the questions on the Instaquiz "surprisingly difficult". "Oh my", indeed. I don't.

So, Brian, before we had topic mashes for you use your math skills on to finesse those points, how did you get those final 36 points you needed if you shunned the InstaQuzzes?

To dispute point one made by brm in post number 1178127, I use the instaquiz method much earlier to leave a round number of points I need to get - often when I'm a couple of hundred away, or so. This does leave a bit of room for error, like accidentally choosing a right answer when I wanted a wrong one.

The arithmetic needed to work out what combination of games and questions is needed seems to me to be easier than the mash method, but we're all different.

If the game disappears, I'll adopt answerman's useful suggestion of creating a table of scores.

Now, if someone can find a solution to the problem of trying to twin with someone who isn't aware of the challenge and keeps racking up points while you're trying to match their score, I'm all ears.

Heh. I sort of feel like I have no "right" to complain about that case rossian, as annoying as it is, because of how relatively easy twin is next to most difficult challenges. Eventually they will hit a lull and stay still a minute or two...

Except!...this one time where, I am not kidding, the player was actively taunting. They would do things like sit still a good while, and then rattle off a quick burst of points when I was close to making the match. Once could be coincidence but it happened four or five times.

The only thing that bailed me out was luck. I don't think he (he being my twin and yes, gender was later confirmed that "he" is not a guess or assumption) realized the unpublished and almost seemingly top secret 1000 point bonus for a Crystal Ball win and I just happened to hit the word of the hour during one of his sprint ahead streaks, which just happened to drop me, exactly 200 points behind! I happened to still have brain twist available so I quickly rattled it off and made the match. Was annoying at the time but kind of fun in hindsight.

Haha...and any guesses which hard daily I have today?. Yup..twin. We are about 2200 apart as I write this, having woken up in the middle of the night with no points. I want to play something before passing back out but, its so close to a matching station if I can stand to stay still...