Overview:
Have you ever wished you were a bespoke, happy little frog hopping from one lily pad to the next across a tranquil, enchanted pond? Of course you have. This is your lucky day!
In this game, everyone is a whimsical magical frog. All frogs begin on the Launchpad, the oversized round lily pad on the left (scroll down for the game board). We’ll hop our little froggy legs across the pond and finish on one of the numbered lily pads on the right where the tastiest, plumpest insects hang out.
In each round, players randomly advance either up or down based on a combination of lottery numbers. Each UP or DOWN movement also scoots you left-to-right across the lily pads. Each Saturday there will be one round. Because there are 5 Saturdays in August, the game will have 5 rounds.
Objective:
Obtain the highest score by making accurate predictions about your path, by sabotaging other frogs and by hot, sexy froggy good fortune.
What you should do:
Before the game begins, peer into your crystal ball to discern the Seven Fates and designate one lily pad as your secret Paddywhack. Submit your predictions and your Paddywhack to the Grand Poobah prior to the beginning of the month by clicking THE 7 FATES image at the bottom of this page.
PADDYWHACK: Each player gets to jinx a lily pad, thereafter called a Paddywhack. A jinx affects all players except the frog who placed the jinx. Here's what happens:
+ Single-jinxed lily pad: -3 points
+ Double-jinxed lily pad: -5 points
+ Three or more jinxes in one lily pad: -6 points
The player who jinxes the pad will not be affected by his own jinx.
Example: Imelda is the only player who selects lily pad D as a Paddywhack. In Week 3, she and Muffy each land on lily pad D. Muffy will have 3 points reduced from her score. Imelda’s score will not be affected.
How it works:
Spiff: The lowest Powerball number drawn (white ball) on the preceding Wednesday’s drawing.
Moving across the lily pads: Each Saturday, that week’s Spiff is combined with one of your assigned lottery numbers.
If the sum is ODD, your frog hops UP.
If the sum is EVEN, your frog hops DOWN.
Example: Gonzo’s assigned lottery number is 14. The week’s Spiff is 25. Because 14 + 25 = an ODD number (39), Gonzo hops UP. If the sum had been even, she’d hop down.
Oddhoppers/Evenhoppers:
Players are divided into two groups before any hopping takes place.
Oddhoppers: players whose lowest assigned lottery numbers are ODD.
Evenhoppers: Those whose lowest assigned lottery numbers are EVEN.
Staggered play:
Both Oddhoppers and Evenhoppers do the same thing. The Oddhoppers do it on Saturdays 1-4. The Evenhoppers do it on Saturdays 2-5. This is to avoid amphibious traffic jams on the small lily pads.
Oddhoppers:
Weeks 1-4: Spiff + 1st, 2nd, 3rd then 4th assigned lottery number = one hop each week
Week 5: Chill on one of the numbered pads. *Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit*
Evenhoppers:
Week 1: Chill on the Launchpad. *Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit*
Weeks 2-5: Spiff + 2nd, 3rd, 4th then 5th assigned lottery number = one hop each week
Finishing: Oddhoppers will reach the numbered lily pads in Week 4. Evenhoppers will reach the numbered lily pads in Week 5.
Froggy Went A Courtin’: If exactly two frogs finish the game together on the same numbered lily pad, this shall be recognized as a clear sign that they are together. As if their white-hot flames of amphibious passion weren’t reward enough, each of those two frogs who found unexpected pond love shall be blessed with 30 bonus points for doing it froggy style. BUT... because they're a couple, they have to split the 30 points, so 15 apiece. Note: Three's a crowd. This bonus is only available for exactly two.
Winning: Once all players have reached the numbered lily pads, everyone’s points will be tallied. The player with the most points will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the standard tiebreaker will be applied to determine exactly one victorious frog.