Passing Notes
How to play Date Bracket
Star one option. The rest play a tiny bracket.
Don't plan the date. Play for it. You don't have to agree on a plan. Just agree to play.
Start
- Pick a mode: Zero Thought (schema defaults, skip edit), Make It Ours (defaults loaded, replace any slot), or Blank Slate (empty lists — does not silently refill defaults).
- Each category is authored with five options: food, activity, game, entertainment. You need exactly five live options in every category or you do not start.
- Filter: trim, drop blanks, 1–40 characters. Duplicates are case-sensitive. Pizza and pizza are both allowed; two "pizza" collapse to one.
The ritual
- Star one option in the current category. That option is a bye to the final. If you disagree about the star, play one RPS. Winner places it.
- Take the remaining options in display order. Pair 1v2 and 3v4 among those remaining — not the original numbers.
- Both point. Agree and that option advances. Disagree and play RPS (tap or real hands). Ties replay. No Math.random().
- Semi: the two Round 1 winners. Final: semi winner vs the star.
- Four independent brackets. Then Tonight: food · activity · game · entertainment.
Keyboard point plus keyboard RPS (or record real RPS) is the real a11y path, not a fallback randomizer.
Star pairing (locked)
| Star on | Remaining | R1 pairs |
|---|---|---|
| option 5 | [1, 2, 3, 4] | 1v2 and 3v4 |
| option 2 | [1, 3, 4, 5] | 1v3 and 4v5 |
| option 3 | [1, 2, 4, 5] | 1v2 and 4v5 |
Locked oracle
Food, star on 5, always earlier-in-list → Rotisserie picnic.
Remaining [1, 2, 3, 4]. R1: Rotisserie picnic vs Dumpling boil, then PB&J flight vs Food-court nostalgia. Semi: Rotisserie picnic vs PB&J flight. Final vs star One-pot pasta. Dumpling boil is option 2; it is not a 3v4 participant when the star is on 5.
Same star + same rule on the defaults: Food Rotisserie picnic / Activity Golden-hour errands / Game Rummy / Entertainment Opening-credits night.