A Blueprint Logic Games book? Can it be true? MORE FREE 3/28 Forum

[Kharon542]

LSAT fills my dreams
Help chase these nightmares away
Complex games scare me

*fingers crossed*

[chadsdaniel]

Powerscore does abide
Blueprint to forever shine
one eighty is mine

[goldenboy514]

has anyone done a review yet for this book? How does it stack up to PS and Manhattan

[itachiuchiha]

has anyone done a review yet for this book? How does it stack up to PS and Manhattan

I will be finishing the book in the next 4 days, i will give an overall review

[haus]

has anyone done a review yet for this book? How does it stack up to PS and Manhattan

I think that the early copies have arrived less than a week ago. I am one of the lucky people selected and my book has not yet arrived.

All told I think we may have a short wait for anything more than a quick review.

[Fianna13]

starting the book tomorrow. after Pting today, I really need to master games. :/

[Daily_Double]

Still working through it, about 200 pages in, I didn't do as much over the weekend as I wanted. I like the characters, it's an easy read, much different than Powerscore and Manhattan's approach which was basically, do this now, when you're done we'll tell you what you should've done. Oh, and it's also hilarious. My only critique would be that it seems a little easy, but that could also be related to the fact that ordering games are always pretty easy, and that's as far as I've gotten. That being said, it's a great intro into the games, I really like how you classify the game types, and I completely agree.

I'll do a complete review when I finish, but this is what I have so far.

Thanks again BP.

[RhymesLikeDimes]

Went through about half of it over the past two days. Overall it looks very good. It's hard to judge how effective it is at communicating the basics because I have already done the LGB and 100+ games. I do have a few quibbles with the notation, the layout, and the classification system. But, I'll I finish out the book, and maybe we can have a board discussion on some things.

[bp shinners]

My only critique would be that it seems a little easy, but that could also be related to the fact that ordering games are always pretty easy, and that's as far as I've gotten.

I think it's a bit of that, and a bit of the way we approach games. Our feeling is that even the most complicated games are just easy underlying concepts that they 'gussy up' with tricky language, one weird rule, or by combining more than the usual amount of underlying concepts. So we really hammer in those basic concepts for the first few hundred pages so that when we get to the discussion of tricky games in the last few hundred, you're rock solid on them and can see how you can use those same simple methods for tackling a difficult game.

That being said, the book is very much designed with a bottom-up approach. We assume you go into it knowing NOTHING about Logic Games, so the first few hundred pages are getting you up to speed (when you're releasing something for the mass market, you have to design it starting from the most basic level). Then, we focus the rest on how to approach the difficult games, and how to breeze through the easy games quickly, which is going to appeal to the person who started with a -7 in Games.

[bp shinners]

I do have a few quibbles with the notation, the layout, and the classification system.

We'd definitely be interested in hearing the criticisms here! I think the classification system might be a relic of learning a different one and living in it for so long - it's almost like learning a new language, in that some stuff just doesn't seem right even if it makes complete sense within that system.

And if you have any questions about why we call something what we do, let me know!

[bp shinners]

Alright, winners will be chosen in the next few hours.

-Edit- Winners have been contacted, thanks to everyone who entered!

[Daily_Double]

It's always funny to me, when I do the game vertically, and the book does it horizontally, or using a different variable in the top row for 3-D games, when the book uses that variable in the second row.

What I'm going to try to do, at some point before June is just post the games in a new thread that I think would be valuable to make a book on. Just a suggestion. I think if companies made books for beginners and advanced students it would be even more profitable. Just because, students, by nature, don't want to be left out of the loop on the chance that a book might offer needed advice. Is it necessary, I think not, would it work? Probably, I know I would have bought it when I first started preparing. Again just a thought.

What would really be awesome, is an LR book that really dug deeply into the more subtle patterns of the stimuli and the answers, one which started in the 30s and basically said these stimuli, from 30-69/present, are similar in logic/structure, which leads to similar answers, so keep these patterns in mind.

[Fianna13]

I noticed that you guys don't really emphasize on the out group for in/out games, is there a reason for this?

[bp shinners]

I noticed that you guys don't really emphasize on the out group for in/out games, is there a reason for this?

Do you have a specific example of this from the book? Because we usually make a pretty big deal of the Out group, and skimming through the book I couldn't find an example where it was overlooked.

[Fianna13]

I guess I spoke too soon... but a better question would be, the in/out games that involve more than 2 categories still give me the most trouble, and I don't see any particular way to account for different groups in the book, so how do you keep track of them?

[bp shinners]

I guess I spoke too soon... but a better question would be, the in/out games that involve more than 2 categories still give me the most trouble, and I don't see any particular way to account for different groups in the book, so how do you keep track of them?

Same way you'd do an In and Out game, or a multi-Group game - all of the categories are their own group, and then there's an out group. Unless I'm misunderstanding the question!

[tuffyjohnson]

Speaking to those first few hundred pages: I found the conditional logic section to be more comprehensive than other books (haven't read Manhatten yet though). It covered trickier complex conditional logic and I especially appreciated the approach to handling the UNLESS questions: treat as an IF NOT.

[hannnahbb]

Whooo I just got my book, do I write my full review in this thread when I'm done with it or e-mail it to Matt?

[bp shinners]

Whooo I just got my book, do I write my full review in this thread when I'm done with it or e-mail it to Matt?

Either way works, though I'm sure posting here would help other people make their decision as to which Games book to purchase!

[lsatkid007]

Speaking to those first few hundred pages: I found the conditional logic section to be more comprehensive than other books (haven't read Manhatten yet though). It covered trickier complex conditional logic and I especially appreciated the approach to handling the UNLESS questions: treat as an IF NOT.

That is easiest way I have found to approach it also.

[bp shinners]

Speaking to those first few hundred pages: I found the conditional logic section to be more comprehensive than other books (haven't read Manhatten yet though). It covered trickier complex conditional logic and I especially appreciated the approach to handling the UNLESS questions: treat as an IF NOT.

That is easiest way I have found to approach it also.

Changes your world, doesn't it?

[itachiuchiha]

Speaking to those first few hundred pages: I found the conditional logic section to be more comprehensive than other books (haven't read Manhatten yet though). It covered trickier complex conditional logic and I especially appreciated the approach to handling the UNLESS questions: treat as an IF NOT.

That is easiest way I have found to approach it also.

Changes your world, doesn't it?

sure changed my world
I was stuck trying to memorize the unless equation - powerscore-
or treat unless as negate, sufficient

but this is so much easier to remember
are there any other conditional tricks?

[bp shinners]

are there any other conditional tricks?

Unless/until/without/except - cross out, rewrite as "If not"
Only=necessary; The only=Sufficient

Those are the two big ones

[tuffyjohnson]

are there any other conditional tricks?

Unless/until/without/except - cross out, rewrite as "If not"
Only=necessary; The only=Sufficient

Those are the two big ones

that and if and only if= double sided super rule. Correct?

[onlyunholy]

I received the book a few weeks ago, and must admit that although this is only tool I have utilized thus far to attack the June LSAT, I am only about 200 pages in. I work full time and have to travel every few weekends out of state, which may account for the lack of time I have had. I try to study at least a few hours nightly after work, and as much as I can on the weekend... Regardless, I am getting VERY nervous that I do not have enough time to reach my optimal score, especially after my dismally (albeit cold) diagnostic. Naturally, I am vying for 170+, but recognize that simply may not be a possibility anymore..

Anyways, I wanted to know everyone who has the book - or other books even - what is your study method?

Do you outline everything, as I have been? (Averaging a page of notes for every 3 pages of text, which is a little alarming!) Do you type your notes? (<--- Wouldn't it be more difficult to diagram then?) Do you skim and just do the practice problems (those that are taking the class in a few weeks)?

Do you run through all the problems/entire text and then go back over everything/re-do the games to focus more on why you were wrong? As I do each game, I definitely see errors/missed deductions/etc etc. Am I supposed to stop, go back and re-read everything until I pretty much ace each game, or read the entire book to get a feel for everything and then jump into the class material (class starts April 7th)? I feel like if I focus on everything I am getting wrong instead of getting a general idea, I will run out of time to finish the book before class..

...Also, a few technical questions: On page 181 (and after), when U X is diagrammed as being either U - X or U X (vertical box) meaning U X can be in the SAME spoonful or U must come before X -- WHY THEN would (page 193) H N be in a vertical box meaning Headstrong received exactly ONE MORE STAR than Nice did? To me, that would signify that Headstrong and Nice received the same amount of stars. This is as far as I have gotten as far as questions re: error could be concerned..

I had another technical question earlier in the book because I felt I had found something that did not make sense, but because I received a damaged book (BP promptly overnight a new book and included postage paid return shipping!) I no longer recall where the issue was.. the second I find it, I will post it!