A formula scoring game built on a real Excel dataset. The dataset is the board. The formula is the move.
Write formulas to capture cells. The registry is the rulebook. Here’s the target. Get there however you want. We score the formula you used.
Live Demo Available · Excelligence wing
Live Demo
See It In Action
Three moves. Three formulas. Three captures. Press play and watch the registry score each one.
—
Spreadsheet
Target Value
—
Formula Played
waiting for start
Result
tier evaluating…
Press Start. Watch the target light up, the formula solve it, and the tier reveal.
The board — a real dataset. Any cell can be a target.
A
B
C
D
E
F
1
Region
Quarter
Product
Amount
Units
Status
2
North
Q1
Widgetstarget
4,280
142
Active
3
South
Q1
Gadgets
2,190
87
Active
4
North
Q2
Widgets
6,540target
218
Active
5
East
Q2
Gadgets
3,870
129
Active
6
West
Q3
Widgets
5,110
170
Activetarget
The Mechanic
Three rules. One capture.
Game B — the default mode. No declaration required. Solve the target cell with any legal formula. The registry evaluates what you used and scores accordingly.
Rule 1 — ISFORMULA
Must be a formula
Not a hardcoded value. =6540 fails. =800+852 fails. The workbook checks ISFORMULA() before anything else.
Rule 2 — Banned Patterns
Must derive the answer
No direct cell references to the target. No arithmetic that manufactures the answer. FORMULATEXT checks your formula against the banned patterns table.
Rule 3 — Value Match
Must return the correct value
Your formula must return exactly the value in the target cell. The workbook compares your result against the target. Pass all three — capture confirmed.
Game A — Hard Mode
Declare your piece before the target is revealed. Commit to a formula tier. The pressure is the point.
Piece Tiers
Pieces are scoring markers, not chess pieces.
In Game B, pieces are result badges — the registry assigns one after you solve. In Game A (Hard Mode), you declare a piece before you see the target. Higher tier, higher stakes, higher score.
♙
Pawn
COUNTIF · basic IF simple arithmetic
Base capture
♜
Rook
SUMIFS Structured references
+50 bonus
♞
Knight
XLOOKUP INDEX / MATCH
+75 bonus
♝
Bishop
INDEX/MATCH combinations
+75 bonus
♛
Queen
LET · LAMBDA MAKEARRAY
+100 bonus
♚
King
Named ranges Control Panel patterns
+100 bonus
Game Analytics
The game logs itself.
Every capture is recorded via FORMULATEXT. At the end of a session you see exactly what you used, what you missed, and where you left points on the table.
Session Log
Turn
Target
Formula Used
Tier
Score
1
D4
=SUMIFS(D:D,A:A,"North",B:B,"Q2")
Rook
+150
2
E5
=XLOOKUP("East",A:A,E:E)
Knight
+175
3
D6
=D6 ✕ banned pattern
Rejected
+0
4
D6
=LET(r,"West",SUMIFS(D:D,A:A,r))
Queen
+200
Formula Tier Mix
Rook (SUMIFS)40%
Knight (XLOOKUP)30%
Queen (LET/LAMBDA)20%
Pawn (basic)10%
Registry Stats
73%
Captures matched a registry entry
3
Banned pattern rejections this session
+125
Points left on table (could have used LET)
Registry Connection
Every capture cites a registry entry.
Governed formulas score bonus points. After each capture the game surfaces the Excelligence entry that governs the pattern you used — or the one you could have used for more points.
Σ
FRM-0011 · SUMIFS
SUMIFS — Multi-Condition Aggregation
Aggregates a range based on multiple criteria. The governed alternative to nested IFs for conditional summation. Structured references preferred over column letter ranges.
GridTactics ships as a downloadable .xlsx — a real Excel workbook, no macros, works on Mac. The game runs on data validation and formula chains. No web app required. The spreadsheet IS the game.
A live demo is available above. The full .xlsx ships when the scoring engine is complete.