A Seeker must be familiar with the grid. The Snitch grid is numbered from 0 to 12. The location is written as: Square horizontal #, vertical #. The Seeker starting in 0,12 is the first to move. The other Seeker begins the match in 12,0.
The two outer rows and columns are in grey. This is because there are never any clues there. All five clue locations will be in the inner 9 x 9 white area of the grid, also known as the play area.
Clue locations and Bludger squares will remain the same for the duration of a Snitch match. The Snitch location is also fixed for the entirety of the game. Until the Seeker solves the logic puzzle, the Snitch location acts as an empty square.
After a Seeker activates a Wronski Feint square, it becomes an empty square. When a trivia square is entered, that square becomes an empty square and a random empty square becomes a trivia square. By the end of the match, most of the trivia squares are in the outer two rows and columns.
Here is an example of a grid from one of my Snitch matches. I have always done gridding on the computer rather than by hand. For most of my matches, I used Paint. More recently, I use a grid that was made for me by Cody in Google Docs.
I use blue to mark both my path and my opponent's path. Some people like to use two different colors for the two Seekers. Bludgers are black and clue locations are red. Any empty squares that my opponent enters, I color pink. I have never been a fan of pink, so it acts as an extra incentive for me to go to those locations and see if I can change the color to red or blue.
For general movement around the grid, a common strategy is to move in the shape of a staircase. The Seeker who starts in 12,0 would alternate moving down and left as seen in the example above. I have also had success staying on the edge of the inner grid. More often than not, there is at least one clue on the edge. However, any deviation from a movement pattern typically means that the Seeker is heading toward a clue location. Sometimes a completely random path is the best pattern... just don't throw yourself off!
Your opponent's empty squares are potential clue locations, so it is important to check them out as soon as possible. Any location that the other Seeker enters that does not trigger a trivia question is an empty square. You can mark as many squares as you wish when you grid. As a minimum, I recommend keeping track of Bludgers, clue locations, and your opponent's empty squares.
Gridding Assignment
Send your completed assignment to [email protected] with the subject: Gridding Include your HOL name and house in the body of your email. Upload any images to an image-hosting site and send in the link. No attachments will be open.
Reading the Grid (10 points) Answer the questions using the grid provided.
List the four corners of the play area and what type of squares they currently are.
Hint: These are NOT 0,0; 0,12; 12,0; 12,12
What are the clue locations?
How many clues are on the edge of the play area?
How many Bludgers and clues are in row 6?
How many Bludgers and clues are in column 4?
How many clues are next to Bludgers?
How many Bludgers are in the play area?
How many Wronski Feint squares are in the play area?
What are the Wronski Feint locations?
What is the Snitch location?
Critical Thinking (10 points; 5 points each)
Why do you think Godric's Ghost designed the grid so that all five clues are in the inner area?
After the initial four moves, why might a Seeker deliberately move into the outer rows or columns?
Gridding Practice (30 points) Based on this log, mark the paths of both Seekers on a grid. You may use the grid provided below or make your own. Then, answer the following questions:
List all Bludger locations.
List Fiddlesticks' empty squares that Jasper needs to check.
List Jasper's empty squares that Fiddlesticks needs to check.
List all Wronski Feint locations.
Does either Seeker have a clue location? If yes, which Seeker?