A Diamond-Shaped Star Map with a Shared Finale

This is an invented planning exercise, not a customer event or testimonial.

Background and constraints

A fictional realm should feel exploratory while retaining a checkable solution. The host wants one common opening, two parallel discoveries and one combined finish.

Exact tool inputs

The branching star archive

18

600

120

18:00

indoor

elegant

A permitted accessible room

start | Add 2 and 3 | | 5 | Count five fingers | 5
left | Multiply 4 by 3 | start | 12 | Four groups of three | 10
right | Reverse ETAG | start | GATE | Read backward | 10
final | Add the left answer to 8 | left,right | 20 | Twelve plus eight | 15

Map
Lantern
Seal

At timeout, compare partial discoveries without excluding any guest

A completed original star-map sheet

Actual generated result

theme

The branching star archive

venue

A permitted accessible room

guests

18

teams

3

schedule

rows

• activity

  Brief exploration teams

  start

  18:00

  end

  18:24

  minutes

  24

• activity

  Open the first node

  start

  18:24

  end

  18:48

  minutes

  24

• activity

  Resolve dependency chain

  start

  18:48

  end

  19:12

  minutes

  24

• activity

  Verify final seal

  start

  19:12

  end

  19:36

  minutes

  24

• activity

  Debrief and distribute rewards

  start

  19:36

  end

  20:00

  minutes

  24

total

120

remaining

0

conflict

false

stations

• name

  start | Add 2 and 3 | | 5 | Count five fingers | 5

  order

  1

  prerequisite

  Briefing

  points

  10

  host

  Facilitator 1

• name

  left | Multiply 4 by 3 | start | 12 | Four groups of three | 10

  order

  2

  prerequisite

  start | Add 2 and 3 | | 5 | Count five fingers | 5

  points

  10

  host

  Facilitator 2

• name

  right | Reverse ETAG | start | GATE | Read backward | 10

  order

  3

  prerequisite

  left | Multiply 4 by 3 | start | 12 | Four groups of three | 10

  points

  10

  host

  Facilitator 3

• name

  final | Add the left answer to 8 | left,right | 20 | Twelve plus eight | 15

  order

  4

  prerequisite

  right | Reverse ETAG | start | GATE | Read backward | 10

  points

  10

  host

  Facilitator 4

props

• Node envelopes
• Map tiles
• Hint tokens

budget

venue

150

food

240

materials

120

reserve

90

tasks

• Confirm permission and accessibility
• Check dietary needs
• Brief facilitators
• Prepare a weather or room backup

execution

A failed puzzle triggers a hint and time penalty, never exclusion from a safe exit.

nodes

• id

  start

  name

  Add 2 and 3

  deps

  answer

  5

  hint

  Count five fingers

  points

  5

  complete

  false

• id

  left

  name

  Multiply 4 by 3

  deps

  • start

  answer

  12

  hint

  Four groups of three

  points

  10

  complete

  false

• id

  right

  name

  Reverse ETAG

  deps

  • start

  answer

  GATE

  hint

  Read backward

  points

  10

  complete

  false

• id

  final

  name

  Add the left answer to 8

  deps

  • left
  • right

  answer

  20

  hint

  Twelve plus eight

  points

  15

  complete

  false

teamNames

• Map
• Lantern
• Seal

winCondition

Every node has a verified correct answer.

failureCondition

At timeout, compare partial discoveries without excluding any guest

reward

A completed original star-map sheet

limitMinutes

120

Planning process

The organizer enters the diamond dependency structure and verifies that both left and right require start. The final node requires both branches even though its arithmetic uses the left answer. The host supplies the right branch as a necessary story seal and states that rule clearly.

Result explanation

The graph allows the middle tasks in either order after the opening. This creates choice without a cycle or an inaccessible starting state. The final answer is 20, and all four nodes must be complete for the shared win condition.

Alternative

Make the final a simple explicit token if combining numeric and word information would be confusing. The two prerequisites can still represent two collected seals.

Execution notes

Test the printed instructions with someone who did not write them. Do not assume a decorative map explains the dependency rules.

Continue planning

Open RealmQuest

How to Design an Engaging Clue Hunt

A Two-Node Realm for a Short Gathering

FAQ