Game Hint Hint

[Shifter]

I’ve seen speculation on the forums regarding when the game hint (or the ‘next’ game hint, whichever camp you’re in) will be released. Well, I’m looking at a game hint right now, and, wow! That is one nice game hint. But we’re not quite ready to release it yet. We’ll be doing that on 12/21. Feel free to speculate, if you wish, as to why we’re releasing a game hint on the same day the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar ends, but please keep ‘coincidence’ as one of the explanations you consider.

Not to read too much into each little word but...

1. I think the key from the hint hint is the one word in quotes. A definition for coincide:

a : to occupy the same place in space or time
b : to occupy exactly corresponding or equivalent positions on a scale or in a series

2. "That is one nice game hint" = complimentary

This idea of coinciding, concurring, synchronizing, pairing, mirroring, complimenting, and agreeing has been seen most recently in this season's FLL mission "SIMILARITY RECOGNITION AND COOPERATION: Robot aligns your pointer with the other team’s pointer".

3. Note the unusual punctuation in "Well, I’m looking at a game hint right now, and, wow!". See the truth table for an AND gate. Adding to that the reference to "12/21" points to two 2-input AND gates.


This all leads me to believe that, at the end of this year's 3-minute FRC game, the robots from each 4-member alliance may need to "coincide" as in a coincidence circuit. The two pairs of robots initially tethered together will either need to both remain attached (www.andymark.com/FIRST-Choice-p/fc13-009.htm) throughout the match OR both detach by match end.

Alliances get bonus points for maintaining their two-robot tether throughout the entire match. Extra bonus points are awarded to both alliances if, at the end buzzer, one robot from the red alliance is tethered to one robot from the blue alliance.

Either that or a robot tug of war.