Candyworld: The Holiday Spectacular

It’s just an ordinary day tracing on Eyewire, right? Cube after tasty cube, branch after tasty branch. But what’s this? You have just been served something… unusual.

Could it be?

Could it…?

It finishes loading. Yes! Yes, it is just what you think it is!

A GOLDEN CUBE.

You, lucky Eyewirer, have discovered one of the Golden Cubes distributed as an all-access pass to HQ’s famous project, the holiday sweets factory-turned-amusement-park, the one and only Candyworld! Surely you knew about Candyworld. And this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit that magical land for an exclusive tour, and to meet none other than its Artistic Director, the notable eccentric Kandi Kane!

On the bottom of the cube, you see a stamped date in fancy, curlicued writing: the Ninth of December, in the Year Twenty-Sixteen. This must be the date for you to assemble at Candyworld’s marzipan gates. That’s rather close, in fact… you’d best get going.

Time passes. It is the fated day! You, and it seems many other Eyewirers, have assembled at the entrance to Candyworld, and there she is: Kandi Kane. Pixielike, wearing her caramel crown, bearing her peppermint scepter, and fluttering a pair of spun sugar wings, she marches out to greet you all with a big, sparkling, just-went-to-the-dentist grin. It’s almost unnervingly bright. You wonder if the rumors are true about her really being a fairy, or if those wings are for just for show. But you keep your questions to yourself for now, as she greets you all with an angelic little voice.

“Hello hello! Oh, how marvelous for you all to have come. There are quite a few more of you than I was expecting. Splendid, splendid. Are you ready to tour my wonderful world of glycemic glory?” As a sufficient number of people nod and cheer, Ms. Kane reaches into the pocket of her boldly striped dress, pulling out a deck of cards.

“Behold!” she then declares. “These cards will show you some places in my factory. Park. Er, whatever it is! Draw five cards, everyone, and see where they send you! You will reach them by the road of multi-colored Turkish delights that you can see paving your way beyond the marzipan gates. At each location you visit, my minions, um, I mean, my tiny friends the Gummy Grims will set a candytastic challenge for you. If you can pass that challenge, you will receive a delicious reward!”

As she holds out the cards, you step forward to draw your share. Turning each card over in your hand, then, you discover where you must go. First there is something called the Chocolate River, then the Jawbreaker Cube Machine, then Taffybot’s Trivia Hall, then the Allsorts Arena, and lastly a rather daunting-looking Fudge Mountain. What could be in store for you in these places?

It seems you have no choice but to find out. The gates of Candyworld are opening, and out pours a small horde of hooded figures that stand as high as your knee and carry miniature scythes. The figures and the scythes alike are both made of a rather fruity-smelling jelly. Burbling and chattering in high-pitched gibberish, these Gummy Grims tug at your legs and hands to pull you over the threshold. The last thing you hear before your journey begins is Kandi Kane calling, “Good luck, my darlings! And just think, if you survive, ah, that is, take part in all five of the challenges, you will get a special token of my esteem!”

 

*All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST).*

Accuracy Happy Hours

First session runs from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Friday 12/9
Second session runs from 10:00 PM to 11:59 PM on Friday 12/9

The Gummy Grims spill a pile of marshmallow cubes and merger cubes into Candyworld’s chocolate river. Dive in to fish out as many marshmallows as you can! But you better not collect any mergers along the way, or they’ll count against you in the end.

Bonuses:
1st Place Accuracy – 10,000 points
2nd Place Accuracy – 8,000 points
3rd Place Accuracy – 6,000 points
Achieve 95% Accuracy – 5,000 points
Achieve 90% Accuracy – 3,000 points
Achieve 80% Accuracy – 2,000 points
1,000 points for anyone under 80% who still plays at least 20 cubes in either slot.
(These bonus thresholds are non-cumulative, i.e. they will not combine. If you earn 3rd place, for instance, and presumably got over 95% accuracy, you still earn a 6,000 point bonus, not 11,000.)

Jawbreaker Cubes

Begins at 12:01 AM on Saturday 12/10
Ends at 12:00 PM on Thursday 12/15

These Evil Cubes are so involving, and your jaw might fall off your face by the end… but you can’t stop! Should you manage to consume them all, you’ll be a tough cookie indeed.

Bonuses:
1st Place Accuracy – 8,000 points
2nd Place Accuracy – 5,000 points
3rd Place Accuracy – 3,000 points
1,000 points for anyone under 80% accuracy who still plays all 12 cubes.
(These bonus thresholds are non-cumulative, i.e. they will not combine. If you earn 3rd place, for instance, and presumably got over 80% accuracy, you still earn a 3,000 point bonus, not 4,000.)

Trivia + Trivia Power Hour

Begins at 11:00 AM on Sunday 12/11
Continues until 11:00 AM on Tuesday 12/13
Finishes with Power Hour from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Tuesday 12/13

The Taffybot is here to spit out some sticky questions! What do you know about candy, desserts, and neuroscience? Participate in trivia + trivia power hour for bonus points. 1 question per hour for the main trivia timeframe, 1 question every 2 minutes for the power hour.

Bonuses:
For every question —
1st to answer – 300 points
2nd to answer – 200 points
3rd to answer – 100 points

Rock Candy vs. Cotton Candy

Begins at 11:00 AM on Tuesday 12/13
Ends at 11:00 AM on Wednesday 12/14

If candy goes on a stick, should it be crunchy and crystallized, or soft and wispy?

Bonuses:
Earn 5,000 points – 2,500 bonus
Earn 15,000 points – 5,000 bonus
Earn 25,000 points – 10,000 bonus
Every additional 25,000 points – 5,000 bonus
Winning team – 10,000 bonus
Team winner – 5,000 bonus
#1 overall score – 10,000 bonus
#2 overall score – 5,000 bonus
#3 overall score – 2,500 bonus

Fudge Mountain Marathon

Begins at 10:00 AM on Wednesday 12/14
Ends at 10:00 AM on Thursday 12/15

Can you make it to the heart of Fudge Mountain? You have 24 hours to binge on as many fudge cubes as possible.

Bonuses:
Complete 20 cubes – 2,000 point bonus
Complete 50 cubes – 5,000 point bonus
Complete 150 cubes – 20,000 point bonus
Complete 300 cubes – 40,000 point bonus
For every 150 cubes above 300 cubes – 2,500 points

If the cell is completed within 24 hrs, those mappers who:

• Complete at least 50 cubes will win rights to vote on a new name for the Fudge Mountain Cell.
• Complete at least 200 cubes will win rights to nominate a new name for the Fudge Mountain Cell.

Candyworld Closing Ceremony

Begins at 4:00 PM on Friday 12/16

Come celebrate the end of this competition, where admins will recognize everyone’s achievements. As always, we will include a round of promotions for Scouts, Scythes, Moderators, and Mentors. If you’d like a promotion, you can request them here.

Artwork by Tyler Scagliarini