5.4 - Making Worlds / Scenarios

This lesson is all about making worlds, or what some folks call scenarios. I came up using the term worlds, so I'll use that predominantly, but the terms are interchangeable.

Before we dive in, let's get one thing straight: This is the literal key to logic games. If you want a perfect score on the section, you need to master this skill between now and June. 

It may sound daunting, but I've seen students nail this process in as little as a month. It's all about how much work you're willing to put in.

That said, here's what we'll cover in this lesson:

• What "worlds" actually are
• Why we make them in the first place
• How to make them

Let's dive in.

What Are Worlds?

You can think of a world as a possible solution to a logic game. It's one of potentially dozens of solutions to the game.

We always start in the world we're in—the game, its constraints, and a blank canvas. You can think of that as our first world.

We create more of them by encapsulating the possible applications of each rule in conjunction with the other rules.

Why Make Worlds?

The whole point of making worlds is to get the game's constraints baked into your diagrams so you can forget about them. But the more general answer is that making worlds creates an answer key we can use to answer the game's questions with certainty.

Now, some students hear that and think, "Then isn't the goal to make worlds until I've covered every possible solution?" No, that's not your goal. You get rewarded for correct answers not complete diagrams.

So let me reiterate—worlds are all about getting rid of the rules.

How to Make Worlds

We create worlds by methodically incorporating each rule into our diagrams one at a time. That means taking a rule, considering all the possible ways it might apply, and making a diagram for each application.

So, if you have a rule that A can go first or second, we might split into two possibilities: one where A goes first and another where A goes second. It's that simple. You take each constraint to its limit one at a time.

The key is taking baby steps. You won't be a master at first, so don't act like one. Get used to baking in low-hanging fruit. Then, as you advance, consider making worlds based on how multiple rules interact as opposed to just one.

As you practice, you'll come to realize that building worlds completely solves most games in just a few minutes from start to finish. You'll find yourself absolutely demolishing the questions, sometimes in as little as 90 seconds for a full game.

A Caveat

Be careful conflating worlds with splits.

Splitting is the mechanism for creating new worlds, but it's not always in your best interest to split your way to a full solution.

Again, your goal isn't to have all solutions jotted down on your notebook paper, it's to eliminate the rules so you can play the simplest game possible.

For some students, that means incorporating a rule or two, and then attacking the questions with another rule or two left open. For others, it's easiest to fully solve most games, even if that means making a larger number of splits.

In all things Logic Games, do what works best for you.

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I could talk for days about worlds and world-building. If you're looking to crush the games in June 2024, come see me in class. Next up, we're diving deeper into the process of splitting worlds. I'll see you there.

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What would you change about this lesson? Leave me some feedback in the comments below to help me improve this course for you and future test-takers.