Wildcards

Wildcards can be used in the game. You declare the value of a wildcard before you play it.

Wildcards use a symbol that is not a number.

For example or

You play them like this

The wildcard is declared as a Three

Recording the Game
List          x = 3                x                5                8	Maths x = 3 x + 5 = 8

Adding wildcards leads to the first puzzle game.

A record of a game is show without the declaration of value of the wild card being shown. You have to find the value of a wildcard as played.

For example

Recording the Game
List                          x                3                7	Maths x + 3 =7

You know this
                                           Played                                                    Result

Those who have learned the results of card pairs will know that
will give and so was declared as a Four

However for those who have not learned the card pairs and because not all puzzle games will be this simple there are methods to learn that will give you the answer.

One method is to unplay the number card

                                            Played                                                    Result

The last card played was a so remove this card from the play, this means remove the three black counters which it added.

showing that the wildcard was declared as a Four


Another method is to play negatives.

                                            Played                                                    Result

The last card played was a so add its negative to the hand and play this by adding three white counters.

Since together add nothing remove this pair of cards from play and the pairs of black and white counters they played.

Again was played as

TIP
The unplay method involves the removal of counters which as usual may not be directly possible if there are not enough of the correct colour as below. Stick to adding negatives as this will always work in the way shown.
                                          Played                                                  Result

Every wildcard has its negative .

When a wildcard is declared as a Three then the negative wildcard is Negative Three.
When a wildcard is declared as a Negative Six then the negative wildcard is Negative Negative Six or Six.

A wildcard and its negative will always contain the same symbol though of opposite colours.

A wildcard and its negative in a hand of cards may be removed as a pair. Since they must result in an equal number of black and white counters and so they play as nothing to add and so together are Zero.

For example the following hand

will simplify to

These moves can be recorded as

List                x               -x                0 Maths          x + (-x) = 0