chipgpt · Oct 24, 2026 · Oct 24, 2026
diff --git a/docs/MAINTENANCE.md b/docs/MAINTENANCE.md
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ The share-preview artwork is generated by `scripts/build-social-image.py`, using
 
 ## When? scoring versions
 
-New When? practice rounds and daily rounds dated October 16, 2026 onward carry
+When? daily rounds dated October 16–23, 2026 and saved version-two rounds carry
 `timelineScoringVersion: 2` and a frozen `scoringYear`. The zero-point error bound
 is `max(5, 0.25 * max(0, scoringYear - answerYear))` years. Score linearly as
 `round(100 * max(0, 1 - abs(guessYear - answerYear) / bound))`. A four-year miss
@@ -136,3 +136,15 @@ historical motion questions retain path distance; v2 without the trace marker
 retains intersection-over-union, including all October 16 daily and saved rounds.
 Other question objects and game rules are unchanged. Unknown trace versions and
 trace markers on other games are rejected on restore.
+
+## Gentler When? allowance (October 24, 2026)
+
+New practice and daily dates from October 24 carry `timelineScoringVersion: 3`,
+with the same frozen `scoringYear` and overall `scoringVersion: 2`. The bound is
+`max(10, max(0, scoringYear - answerYear) / 3)` years, using one-third exactly.
+Points remain linear: `round(100 * clamp(1 - abs(guess-answer)/bound, 0, 1))`.
+A seven-year miss on a 30-year-old event earns 30; on a 60-year-old event, 65;
+on a 100-year-old event, 79. A recent four-year miss earns 60.
+Version two keeps `max(5, age * .25)`; unversioned questions keep their original
+50-year squared scoring. Never rescore by the player's current date. No facts,
+assignments, IDs, other game rules or previously generated questions are changed.
diff --git a/public/about.html b/public/about.html
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ <h2>Eleven ways to test your judgement</h2>
 </tbody></table>
 <h2>How scoring works</h2>
 <p>Time uses linear scoring in daily challenges from October 16, 2026, and in new practice rounds. Its zero-point allowance is the greater of 1.25 seconds or 50% of the target duration. Only an exact match earns full accuracy; the minimum allowance is not a free-error window. Earlier daily rounds and saved results keep their original scoring.</p>
-<p>When? uses linear scoring in daily challenges from October 16, 2026, and in new practice rounds. Its zero-point allowance is the greater of five years or 25% of the event’s age, measured in the challenge year. Within the five-year allowance, each year missed costs 20 points: a four-year miss earns 20. Earlier daily rounds and saved results retain their original scoring.</p>
+<p>When? uses a zero-point allowance of ten years or one-third of the event’s age, whichever is larger, in new practice rounds and daily challenges from October 24, 2026. Age is measured in the challenge year. For an event up to 30 years old, a four-year miss earns 60 points and a seven-year miss earns 30. October 16–23 challenges and saved version-two rounds keep the greater of five years or 25% of age. Earlier questions retain their original scoring.</p>
 <p>All new practice rounds and daily challenges from October 16, 2026 use linear scoring. Each game measures error against its own zero-point bound, then awards 100 times the remaining closeness. Using 10% of that allowance earns 90 points; 25% earns 75; half earns 50. An exact match earns 100, and reaching the bound earns zero.</p>
 <p>For the new linear scoring version, 3D view reaches zero points at 90° of rotation error; Angles reaches zero at 180°. A 45° miss earns 50 points in 3D view, while a 90° miss earns 50 in Angles.</p>
 <p>Size it up scores width and height independently, each worth up to 50 points, then rounds the combined score. A 5% miss in both dimensions earns 90/100. A 50% error in one dimension earns zero for that dimension. Earlier daily rounds and saved questions retain their original scoring.</p>

diff --git a/public/focus.html b/public/focus.html
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
       <details><summary>Angles <span>180°</span></summary><div><p>Turn the line to the requested angle. Measure counterclockwise from the right-facing baseline.</p><p>We use the shortest angular distance. <strong>45° off earns 75; 90° off earns 50; 180° off earns zero.</strong></p></div></details>
       <details><summary>Color memory <span>One wheel radius</span></summary><div><p>Remember the swatch for two seconds, then choose its color on the wheel. Hue goes around the wheel; vividness increases toward the edge.</p><p>We measure straight-line distance between your pick and the target <strong>on the wheel</strong>. Half a wheel radius away earns 50 points; one radius or more earns zero. This measures wheel position, rather than differences between hex codes.</p></div></details>
       <details><summary>Time <span>50% of the target, minimum 1.25 s</span></summary><div><p>Press Start, wait for the requested time, then Stop. There’s no clock until the reveal.</p><p>The zero-point miss is <strong>half the target duration or 1.25 seconds, whichever is larger</strong>. For a 10-second target, 2.5 seconds early or late earns 50; 5 seconds off earns zero. For a 2-second target, the allowance is 1.25 seconds.</p></div></details>
-      <details><summary>When? <span>25% of its age, minimum 5 years</span></summary><div><p>Scroll the year wheel to put your answer in the center. Lock it in to see the answer and source.</p><p>The zero-point miss is <strong>one-quarter of the event’s age or five years, whichever is larger</strong>. For a recent event, four years off still earns 20 points. For an event 100 years old, the allowance is 25 years. Age is fixed to the challenge year, so an old challenge’s scoring stays the same.</p></div></details>
+      <details><summary>When? <span>⅓ of its age, minimum 10 years</span></summary><div><p>Scroll the year wheel to put your answer in the center. Lock it in to see the answer and source.</p><p>The zero-point miss is <strong>one-third of the event’s age or ten years, whichever is larger</strong>. For events up to 30 years old, four years off earns 60 points and seven years off earns 30. For an event 60 years old, the allowance is 20 years; seven years off earns 65 points. Age is fixed to the challenge year, so an old challenge’s scoring stays the same.</p><p>This allowance applies to new practice rounds and Daily Fives from <strong>October 24, 2026</strong>. October 16–23 challenges and previously saved version-two rounds keep the five-year / 25%-of-age allowance. Earlier rounds retain their original rules.</p></div></details>
       <details><summary>How long? <span>50% of the answer</span></summary><div><p>Turn the duration dial to your best estimate. Use the unit controls and +/− buttons to refine it, then lock in to see the answer and source.</p><p>A guess <strong>50% shorter or longer earns zero</strong>. For a two-hour answer, 90 minutes or 2½ hours earns 50; one hour or three hours earns zero. We score the duration shown by the controls.</p></div></details>
     </section>
     <details class="help-controls"><summary>Touch, mouse &amp; keyboard</summary><div><p>Drag, tap, or click the game controls. Focus a control to use the keyboard; arrow keys adjust most answers. Size it up uses left/right for width and up/down for height, with Shift for larger steps. For Line memory, arrows move the cursor and Space adds a point. Color memory also has hue and saturation sliders.</p><p>Memory games are silent. Switching away resets an active memory preview or timer.</p></div></details>
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
    if(q.scoringVersion!==undefined&&q.scoringVersion!==2)return false;
    if(q.traceScoringVersion!==undefined&&(q.traceScoringVersion!==3||q.type!=='motion'||q.scoringVersion!==2))return false;
    if(q.scoringVersion===2&&q.type==='time'&&q.timeScoringVersion!==2)return false;
-   if(q.scoringVersion===2&&q.type==='timeline'&&q.timelineScoringVersion!==2)return false;
+   if(q.scoringVersion===2&&q.type==='timeline'&&![2,3].includes(q.timelineScoringVersion))return false;
    if(q.source&&(!Array.isArray(q.source)||!/^https:\/\//.test(q.source[1])))return false;
    const pairs=points=>Array.isArray(points)&&points.length>=3&&points.every(p=>Array.isArray(p)&&p.length===2&&p.every(Number.isFinite));
    if(q.type==='view3d'&&(!q.shape||!Array.isArray(q.shape.boxes)||q.shape.boxes.length<3||q.shape.boxes.length>5||!q.shape.boxes.every(b=>Array.isArray(b)&&b.length===8&&b.slice(0,6).every(Number.isFinite)&&b.slice(3,6).every(n=>n>0)&&/^#[0-9a-f]{6}$/i.test(b[6])&&Array.isArray(b[7])&&b[7].length===6&&b[7].every(v=>typeof v==='boolean'))))return false;
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
    if(q.type==='colour'&&(!Array.isArray(q.answer)||q.answer.length!==3))return false;
    if(['angle','time','rhythm','balance','timeline','duration'].includes(q.type)&&!q.fruit&&typeof q.answer!=='number')return false;
    if(q.type==='time'&&q.timeScoringVersion!==undefined&&(q.timeScoringVersion!==2||q.answer<=0))return false;
-   if(q.type==='timeline'&&q.timelineScoringVersion!==undefined&&(q.timelineScoringVersion!==2||!Number.isInteger(q.scoringYear)||q.scoringYear<1850||q.scoringYear>9999))return false;
+   if(q.type==='timeline'&&q.timelineScoringVersion!==undefined&&(![2,3].includes(q.timelineScoringVersion)||!Number.isInteger(q.scoringYear)||q.scoringYear<1850||q.scoringYear>9999))return false;
    if(q.type==='proportion'){
     if(isSizeQuestion(q)){
      if(!Number.isInteger(q.wide)||q.wide<1||q.wide>5||!Number.isInteger(q.tall)||q.tall<1||q.tall>4||!Number.isInteger(q.reference)||q.reference<32||q.reference>54||q.answer?.width!==q.wide*q.reference||q.answer?.height!==q.tall*q.reference||q.answer.width>260||q.answer.height>175||!q.start||q.start.width<32||q.start.width>304||q.start.height<32||q.start.height>207)return false;
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
 function scheduledTriviaQuestion(id,challengeDay=null){
  const f=TRIVIA_BY_ID[id];if(!f)throw new Error('Missing scheduled trivia');
  const q={id:f.id,type:f.type,skill:f.type==='timeline'?'When?':'How long?',title:f.title,answer:f.answer,caption:f.caption,explain:f.explain,source:[f.source.name,f.source.url],tip:'Answer: '+(f.type==='timeline'?f.answer:durationText(f.answer))};
- if(f.type==='timeline'&&(challengeDay===null||dayNumber(challengeDay)>=dayNumber(TIMELINE_SCORING_START))){q.timelineScoringVersion=2;q.scoringYear=Number((challengeDay||calendarDay()).split('-')[0]);}
+ if(f.type==='timeline'&&(challengeDay===null||dayNumber(challengeDay)>=dayNumber(TIMELINE_SCORING_START))){q.timelineScoringVersion=challengeDay===null||dayNumber(challengeDay)>=dayNumber(TIMELINE_GENTLE_START)?3:2;q.scoringYear=Number((challengeDay||calendarDay()).split('-')[0]);}
  return q;
 }
 
@@ -1153,11 +1153,12 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
 function perspectiveDiagonal(q){return q.scoringVersion===2?PERSPECTIVE_INNER_DIAGONAL:Math.hypot(400,300);}
 
 const TIMELINE_SCORING_START=LINEAR_SCORING_START;
+const TIMELINE_GENTLE_START='2026-10-24';
 const TIME_SCORING_START=LINEAR_SCORING_START;
 function usesRelativeTime(q){return q.type==='time'&&q.timeScoringVersion===2;}
 function timeErrorBound(q){return usesRelativeTime(q)?Math.max(1.25,q.answer*.5):SCORING_RANGES.time;}
-function usesAgeBasedTimeline(q){return q.type==='timeline'&&q.timelineScoringVersion===2;}
-function timelineErrorBound(q){return usesAgeBasedTimeline(q)?Math.max(5,Math.max(0,q.scoringYear-q.answer)*.25):SCORING_RANGES.timeline;}
+function usesAgeBasedTimeline(q){return q.type==='timeline'&&[2,3].includes(q.timelineScoringVersion);}
+function timelineErrorBound(q){const age=Math.max(0,q.scoringYear-q.answer);return q.timelineScoringVersion===3?Math.max(10,age/3):usesAgeBasedTimeline(q)?Math.max(5,age*.25):SCORING_RANGES.timeline;}
 function linearScoreFromError(fraction){return Number.isFinite(fraction)?Math.round(100*Math.max(0,Math.min(1,1-fraction))):0;}
 function wheelDistance(a,b){
  const position=rgb=>{const {h,s}=rgbHsv(rgb),angle=h*Math.PI/180;

diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
       <details><summary>Angles <span>180°</span></summary><div><p>Turn the line to the requested angle. Measure counterclockwise from the right-facing baseline.</p><p>We use the shortest angular distance. <strong>45° off earns 75; 90° off earns 50; 180° off earns zero.</strong></p></div></details>
       <details><summary>Color memory <span>One wheel radius</span></summary><div><p>Remember the swatch for two seconds, then choose its color on the wheel. Hue goes around the wheel; vividness increases toward the edge.</p><p>We measure straight-line distance between your pick and the target <strong>on the wheel</strong>. Half a wheel radius away earns 50 points; one radius or more earns zero. This measures wheel position, rather than differences between hex codes.</p></div></details>
       <details><summary>Time <span>50% of the target, minimum 1.25 s</span></summary><div><p>Press Start, wait for the requested time, then Stop. There’s no clock until the reveal.</p><p>The zero-point miss is <strong>half the target duration or 1.25 seconds, whichever is larger</strong>. For a 10-second target, 2.5 seconds early or late earns 50; 5 seconds off earns zero. For a 2-second target, the allowance is 1.25 seconds.</p></div></details>
-      <details><summary>When? <span>25% of its age, minimum 5 years</span></summary><div><p>Scroll the year wheel to put your answer in the center. Lock it in to see the answer and source.</p><p>The zero-point miss is <strong>one-quarter of the event’s age or five years, whichever is larger</strong>. For a recent event, four years off still earns 20 points. For an event 100 years old, the allowance is 25 years. Age is fixed to the challenge year, so an old challenge’s scoring stays the same.</p></div></details>
+      <details><summary>When? <span>⅓ of its age, minimum 10 years</span></summary><div><p>Scroll the year wheel to put your answer in the center. Lock it in to see the answer and source.</p><p>The zero-point miss is <strong>one-third of the event’s age or ten years, whichever is larger</strong>. For events up to 30 years old, four years off earns 60 points and seven years off earns 30. For an event 60 years old, the allowance is 20 years; seven years off earns 65 points. Age is fixed to the challenge year, so an old challenge’s scoring stays the same.</p><p>This allowance applies to new practice rounds and Daily Fives from <strong>October 24, 2026</strong>. October 16–23 challenges and previously saved version-two rounds keep the five-year / 25%-of-age allowance. Earlier rounds retain their original rules.</p></div></details>
       <details><summary>How long? <span>50% of the answer</span></summary><div><p>Turn the duration dial to your best estimate. Use the unit controls and +/− buttons to refine it, then lock in to see the answer and source.</p><p>A guess <strong>50% shorter or longer earns zero</strong>. For a two-hour answer, 90 minutes or 2½ hours earns 50; one hour or three hours earns zero. We score the duration shown by the controls.</p></div></details>
     </section>
     <details class="help-controls"><summary>Touch, mouse &amp; keyboard</summary><div><p>Drag, tap, or click the game controls. Focus a control to use the keyboard; arrow keys adjust most answers. Size it up uses left/right for width and up/down for height, with Shift for larger steps. For Line memory, arrows move the cursor and Space adds a point. Color memory also has hue and saturation sliders.</p><p>Memory games are silent. Switching away resets an active memory preview or timer.</p></div></details>
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
    if(q.scoringVersion!==undefined&&q.scoringVersion!==2)return false;
    if(q.traceScoringVersion!==undefined&&(q.traceScoringVersion!==3||q.type!=='motion'||q.scoringVersion!==2))return false;
    if(q.scoringVersion===2&&q.type==='time'&&q.timeScoringVersion!==2)return false;
-   if(q.scoringVersion===2&&q.type==='timeline'&&q.timelineScoringVersion!==2)return false;
+   if(q.scoringVersion===2&&q.type==='timeline'&&![2,3].includes(q.timelineScoringVersion))return false;
    if(q.source&&(!Array.isArray(q.source)||!/^https:\/\//.test(q.source[1])))return false;
    const pairs=points=>Array.isArray(points)&&points.length>=3&&points.every(p=>Array.isArray(p)&&p.length===2&&p.every(Number.isFinite));
    if(q.type==='view3d'&&(!q.shape||!Array.isArray(q.shape.boxes)||q.shape.boxes.length<3||q.shape.boxes.length>5||!q.shape.boxes.every(b=>Array.isArray(b)&&b.length===8&&b.slice(0,6).every(Number.isFinite)&&b.slice(3,6).every(n=>n>0)&&/^#[0-9a-f]{6}$/i.test(b[6])&&Array.isArray(b[7])&&b[7].length===6&&b[7].every(v=>typeof v==='boolean'))))return false;
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
    if(q.type==='colour'&&(!Array.isArray(q.answer)||q.answer.length!==3))return false;
    if(['angle','time','rhythm','balance','timeline','duration'].includes(q.type)&&!q.fruit&&typeof q.answer!=='number')return false;
    if(q.type==='time'&&q.timeScoringVersion!==undefined&&(q.timeScoringVersion!==2||q.answer<=0))return false;
-   if(q.type==='timeline'&&q.timelineScoringVersion!==undefined&&(q.timelineScoringVersion!==2||!Number.isInteger(q.scoringYear)||q.scoringYear<1850||q.scoringYear>9999))return false;
+   if(q.type==='timeline'&&q.timelineScoringVersion!==undefined&&(![2,3].includes(q.timelineScoringVersion)||!Number.isInteger(q.scoringYear)||q.scoringYear<1850||q.scoringYear>9999))return false;
    if(q.type==='proportion'){
     if(isSizeQuestion(q)){
      if(!Number.isInteger(q.wide)||q.wide<1||q.wide>5||!Number.isInteger(q.tall)||q.tall<1||q.tall>4||!Number.isInteger(q.reference)||q.reference<32||q.reference>54||q.answer?.width!==q.wide*q.reference||q.answer?.height!==q.tall*q.reference||q.answer.width>260||q.answer.height>175||!q.start||q.start.width<32||q.start.width>304||q.start.height<32||q.start.height>207)return false;
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
 function scheduledTriviaQuestion(id,challengeDay=null){
  const f=TRIVIA_BY_ID[id];if(!f)throw new Error('Missing scheduled trivia');
  const q={id:f.id,type:f.type,skill:f.type==='timeline'?'When?':'How long?',title:f.title,answer:f.answer,caption:f.caption,explain:f.explain,source:[f.source.name,f.source.url],tip:'Answer: '+(f.type==='timeline'?f.answer:durationText(f.answer))};
- if(f.type==='timeline'&&(challengeDay===null||dayNumber(challengeDay)>=dayNumber(TIMELINE_SCORING_START))){q.timelineScoringVersion=2;q.scoringYear=Number((challengeDay||calendarDay()).split('-')[0]);}
+ if(f.type==='timeline'&&(challengeDay===null||dayNumber(challengeDay)>=dayNumber(TIMELINE_SCORING_START))){q.timelineScoringVersion=challengeDay===null||dayNumber(challengeDay)>=dayNumber(TIMELINE_GENTLE_START)?3:2;q.scoringYear=Number((challengeDay||calendarDay()).split('-')[0]);}
  return q;
 }
 
@@ -1153,11 +1153,12 @@ <h3 id="help-games-title">The games &amp; their allowances</h3>
 function perspectiveDiagonal(q){return q.scoringVersion===2?PERSPECTIVE_INNER_DIAGONAL:Math.hypot(400,300);}
 
 const TIMELINE_SCORING_START=LINEAR_SCORING_START;
+const TIMELINE_GENTLE_START='2026-10-24';
 const TIME_SCORING_START=LINEAR_SCORING_START;
 function usesRelativeTime(q){return q.type==='time'&&q.timeScoringVersion===2;}
 function timeErrorBound(q){return usesRelativeTime(q)?Math.max(1.25,q.answer*.5):SCORING_RANGES.time;}
-function usesAgeBasedTimeline(q){return q.type==='timeline'&&q.timelineScoringVersion===2;}
-function timelineErrorBound(q){return usesAgeBasedTimeline(q)?Math.max(5,Math.max(0,q.scoringYear-q.answer)*.25):SCORING_RANGES.timeline;}
+function usesAgeBasedTimeline(q){return q.type==='timeline'&&[2,3].includes(q.timelineScoringVersion);}
+function timelineErrorBound(q){const age=Math.max(0,q.scoringYear-q.answer);return q.timelineScoringVersion===3?Math.max(10,age/3):usesAgeBasedTimeline(q)?Math.max(5,age*.25):SCORING_RANGES.timeline;}
 function linearScoreFromError(fraction){return Number.isFinite(fraction)?Math.round(100*Math.max(0,Math.min(1,1-fraction))):0;}
 function wheelDistance(a,b){
  const position=rgb=>{const {h,s}=rgbHsv(rgb),angle=h*Math.PI/180;