Episode 2 · Play Along

Read and listen.

Open the YouTube recording beside this game page. Listen to each story while reading its excerpt here, then pause before the judges discuss their choices. Use Set Up Side-by-Side Screens for a visual guide. There is no timer in solo play.

Choose your Emotis.

In the Emoti Bar, select the reactions you think the judges chose. Choose as many as fit, or leave them all unselected.

Matching the judges earns Fiction Prediction points.

Would you keep reading?

Choose one answer on the Addiction Meter.

This records your interest in the story. It does not affect your prediction score or the original author awards.

Lock your choices.

When you’re ready, press Lock & Reveal. Your choices are final and saved to your account. Unlocked selections are not saved; there is no automatic countdown.

See your score.

The original judges’ choices appear, along with your score for the story.

• +1 point for each judge who matches an Emoti you selected.
• −2 points for each Emoti you selected that no judge chose.
• 0 points for each unpicked Emoti.

Continue the video to hear the judges’ discussion. You can reopen any completed reveal in Saved story results.

Move to the next story.

Press Next Story when you’re ready. You control the pace. Use the author buttons to revisit a story, A− / A+ to resize its text, or Collapse Story to bring your picks into view. Return with the same email to resume at your first unlocked story.

Compare with the live audience.

After each locked story, see where your score would place against the live audience on the same completed stories. Finish all seven for your final comparison and the original live leaders.

Solo scores never change the live standings. This is a friendly comparison: the recorded answers are already public.

Keep reading.

Each author’s card has Subscribe and Read the Whole Story links. They open in a new tab so your game stays here. Use Share Feedback at the bottom of the page to tell us about your experience.