Matchmaker

In this match, players will be presented with a series of Match-3 inspired puzzles, and given a swap limit. They must find a way to clear the board with no more than the given amount of swaps faster than their opponent to score.

Each puzzle will primarily consist of tiles, filled in with different colours and also marked with different letters. You may use letters or colours freely when calling moves. If the top row of the grid contains black tiles and is marked with a -, this means the non-black tiles in that row begin in the "reserve". They may not be interacted with until they exit the reserve row. Further, each puzzle will have a move limit. An example puzzle is shown below:

Match-3 Mechanics

Whenever three tiles of the same colour or letter form an unbroken row or column of a length of exactly 3, those tiles will be removed from the grid. Any tiles above the removed tiles will fall down to replace the removed tiles. If multiple, non-intersecting, lines of three matching tiles are formed simultaneously, they will be removed simultaneously. It is possible for the removal of tiles, and subsequent dropping of higher tiles, to form new lines of one colour. These lines will also be removed, and have any tiles above them drop down as well. Note that lines are only formed after a tile has fully dropped. If a tile drops past a position that would form a match, the match will not be formed.

To create matches, you must swap tiles. Tiles in the reserve row may not be swapped. Further, tiles must swap with other tiles that are orthogonally adjacent - tile swaps may not be with any tile on the board, and may not be swapped with the lack of a tile.

If 4 or more tiles of one colour are matched, they will not be removed. Further, if two or more sets of 3 tiles are created, but they share a tile, none will be removed.

Example Puzzle

To return to the above example puzzle, a possible solution would be to perform a swap of C2 and B2, eliminating all green X and yellow Y tiles. The elimination of these tiles creates two new matches, eliminating the blue Z and red W tiles. Finally, this creates a third new match, eliminating the orange V tiles. As a second move, swapping D2 and E2 will create two more matches, eliminating the purple U tiles and white T tiles, clearing the board.

Death Match Mechanics

This Death Match is a race to score four points first. The first player to send an acceptable solution to a puzzle will score 1 point for that puzzle. "Acceptable solution" means that it does not exceed to move limit, and at no point breaks a rule listed above.

Puzzles will be sent to a common channel, and the two Death Match players will have eight minutes, as well as two attempts, to send an answer. If both players have made two incorrect attempts, or eight minutes have expired, the puzzle will be retired.

The first player to score 4 points will win. In the event that all 7 prepared puzzles are sent without a player reaching 4 points, the player with more points will win. If the players are tied, a final puzzle will be sent with no time limit. The first player to solve this puzzle will win the Death Match. An incorrect solution will forfeit the Death Match.

Communication

Death Match Participants are free to discuss the challenge, and practice, with the safe players. Once the Death Match begins, however, all communication is prohibited. Any player that receives aid from a safe player during the Death Match will be disqualified.

Stakes

The winner of this Match will stay in Bang-A-Rang The Genius I, and will also receive all Garnets held by their opponent. The loser will be required to leave the game, and shall no longer be eligible to win this competition. So do your best!