The Case of Ada Lovelace: Consulting Mathematician
Follow along with the unique investigation of a stolen artifact in Ada Lovelace: Consulting Mathematician.
The world of solo print-and-play games is something I barely scratched the surface of. There are so many awesome choices, yet my boxed games often get all the attention! At last, though, I printed out something new to try out with Ada Lovelace: Consulting Mathematician. Join me on this interesting journey through a museum filled with clues!
Game Overview
Game Name: Ada Lovelace: Consulting Mathematician
Publication Year: 2017
Designer: Robin David
Artist: Uncredited
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
At a grand soiree, the unimaginable occurs… An artifact is stolen! It’s up to the great mathematician of the time, Ada Lovelace, to gather clues and uncover the culprit before time runs out. Played with a few simple sheets and a small pool of dice, this is a game that presents a straightforward set of mechanics with an interesting challenge.
First Play
July 10, 2020
Complexity
1
Latest Play
July 10, 2020
Expansions
0
Setup Time
Almost None
Lifetime Plays
2
Play Time
30 Minutes
High Score
61
Game Area
18" x 22"
Low Score
56
The Special Realm of Print-and-Play Games
Sometimes I apologize for the lackluster photos when I play my almost-free games. Dice and other components are often pilfered from other games or a general supply. My printer cooperates most of the time, yet I don’t have anything fancy to show off. But there’s no need to be sorry about that! Print-and-play games occupy a different space.
The beautiful components included with many new solo board games are missing… But that doesn’t mean a few sheets of paper can’t provide a fun experience. This one may not be reusable for dozens and dozens of plays, yet keep that price tag in mind! Almost-free games can rival some mainstream games with improved or unique mechanics.
It’s easy to get caught up in exquisite artwork, expertly crafted wooden or metal components, and the joyful feeling of carrying a heavy board game box. Or maybe that’s just me? Ha ha! Print-and-play games may not be for everyone, yet I know how I’ve fallen into a few traps over the years. I’m trying to make an effort to focus on these games some more!
Managing the Dice
The main requirement is to utilize 6 d6 dice. Different colors are unnecessary, but this made it easier for me to remember which die I used. Much better to be sure!
Each turn, 2 dice are rolled. Each number corresponds with 2 different shapes that can be colored in on the map.
The goal is to accumulate as many points as possible before time runs out. Collecting clues by surrounding symbols and filling in complete rooms are paramount.
I forgot how wonderful it can be to make decisions with just a few dice! Dice are amazing in many board games.
A Museum of Clues
This collection of rooms represents the entire museum. I started to plan my moves before I rolled the dice. Where would I earn the most points? Most of it was guessing. Ha!
Up close, you can see point values for the rooms. Filling in all of the right squares is the only way to earn these points.
I was impressed with the rules and mechanics! It was all easy to understand, but I saw how there would be a lot of decisions ahead. Collecting clues was going to take work.
The play area was nice enough, although I daydreamed about a dual-layered board with places for actual cubes…
Clearing the Rooms
As my investigation grew to a close, I was pretty happy with my initial performance. Not too shabby! I ended up with several complete rooms and plenty of clues.
I don’t know what happened in the Newton Theatre, though. That bonus shape was more useful elsewhere!
As I may have mentioned in the past, I try to cut down on wasted paper by using sheet protectors and wet-erase markers. I think this worked out pretty well!
Of course, I could see how there might be a finite number of plays before the optimal solution was discovered.
A Few Thoughts on Finite Gameplay
Not too long ago, I would have thought it preposterous to suggest that a solo game had a limited lifespan. A solvable puzzle?! Absolute nonsense! However, we’re in a unique space in the hobby where choices aren’t as limited as they used to be. Back in the 90s, I remember how our collection was pretty large… At about 10 different children’s games.
Granted, everyone has their own opinions! I still shy away from one-use or legacy sorts of games, though. At the same time, I’m becoming more open to the idea that a solo game can be fun for just a handful of plays. Do I expect to play every game I own 100+ times anymore? Definitely not! So solvable puzzles aren’t so bad to me anymore.
This is also why I’m more open to certain print-and-play games I dismissed in the past. Not all of them will provide endless hours of fun… But what about a few hours of fun? Can’t that be worth the minuscule investment in ink and paper? I’m beginning to think so. To each their own, though! I’m just enjoying my attempts at exploring new avenues.
Optimizing the Abilities
Every discovered clue opens up the option to utilize an ability with the dice. I have a feeling that there’s a best-case order here, which is likely the solution to the puzzle.
However, I managed to reset the map after washing off the ink! I chose a very different path with other abilities.
My choices definitely weren’t perfect, and the luck of the dice rolls made a difference. However, there was a lot that could be done with every roll. I enjoyed all the decisions!
Perhaps there might be other maps to fill in down the line so Ada can head off for more investigative work…
Session Overview
Play Number: 1 and 2
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
Required Play Space: 18″ x 22″
Setup Time: Almost None
Play Time: 30-25 Minutes per Play
Outcome: 56 and 61 (2 Losses)
The scoring tiers include a lovely bit of humor! I didn’t manage to score particularly well, although my initial scores weren’t too terrible. I offended Sir Charles Wheatstone and Charles Babbage. Mission accomplished. Ha ha! There are still some plays of this one ahead.
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
8
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
7
Originality
Design & Theme
6
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
6
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
6
Victory Conditions
Score 75+ Points
- Overall Goal Progress 50%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 60 points.
Score at least 70 points.
Continue the Conversation
What do think of Ada Lovelace: Consulting Mathematician? I was pleasantly surprised, and not too disappointed in the quality of my “build” with a few sheets of paper! Do you have a high score you’re proud of? I should also give a shoutout to the 2020 Summer Pythian Games for giving me a reason to try this out. More print-and-play games to come!
Thanks for reviewing this one! Perfect timing with the Pythian Games occurring right now on BGG. My best score is 71, and every time I play I figure something else out I didn’t realize or value correctly before. Great fun.
Nice score! I have some other ideas in mind about how to do better next time. We’ll see how good of a detective I am, though… Chances are, I’ll fall into the lowest scoring tier one of these times. Ha ha!
It really is a clever little game. I had a great time with it, and hope to get a few more hours out of it. I mainly hope to hit the 70-point threshold one of these days. We’ll see!