Snitch

[Prof. Sky Alton]

Snitch
Catching the Snitch requires a combination of trivia knowledge and the ability to solve a 5x4 logic puzzle. Snitch matches last up to 90 minutes. If the snitch is not caught within that time then the match ends automatically and if the Snitch and Quaffle are played in the same match so does quaffle play.

Snitch is played on a 13x13 grid, within which the Seekers will fly. At the beginning of the game, the Seekers get the introduction to the puzzle, and the question that has to be answered. The Seekers start in opposite corners, and they move one square each turn. They can move up, down, left, or right, into a new square of the grid.

Most squares on the grid will cause some form of action to happen - the 5 types of squares are described below.

Types of Squares on the Snitch Grid:

1. Trivia Square - landing on a trivia square will prompt a trivia question from the same question set used for the Quaffle game. The same rules apply to answering questions in Snitch as they do in Quaffle. Both seekers may attempt to answer the question, no matter who landed on the square. The Seeker who answers correctly first gains a point. Once you earn 5 points, you learn the location of a clue square.

2. Clue Square - When a Seeker earns 5 points through answering trivia questions correctly, that seeker learns the location of a Clue Square and can begin to move there. A Clue Square, once landed on, will reveal the next clue to help solve the logic puzzle. There are 5 clues for each logic puzzle, so there are 5 Clue Squares. It is possible to land on a Clue Square purely by chance, in which case the Seeker will learn that clue regardless of how many trivia points they have earned.

3. Bludger Square - Landing on a Bludger Square causes the Seeker to lose three turns. A bludgered Seeker can't move, but can still answer trivia questions in order to earn points toward learning clues.

4. Wronski Feint Square - Landing on this one causes the opposing Seeker to lose 5 turns.

5. Empty Square - There are only a few of these on the board. No action at all occurs when a Seeker lands on this type of square.

Solving the Puzzle:

The Seeker can and should work on solving the logic puzzle at any point during the Snitch match. After every 10 minutes of play, the Seekers get a 2 minute break from movement and trivia in order to work on the puzzle with no distraction. Seekers cannot submit a solution to the logic puzzle until they find the final clue.

Once a Seeker has all 5 clues and has solved the puzzle, they submit their answer to the referee. If the Seeker has solved the puzzle correctly, they obtain the location of the Snitch Square. If a Seeker attempts to answer the puzzle and solves it incorrectly, they may not submit their answer again until the other Seeker has attempted an answer or until 17 minutes have passed.

When Snitch and Quaffle are played in the same match, landing on the Snitch square after sending in the correct puzzle solution ends the Quidditch match immediately and gives 125 points to the team of the Seeker who caught the Snitch. It isn't possible to accidentally land on the snitch square earlier as it only becomes active once its location is revealed to the player.