Description acceptable - Revision history

Kevin Wang at 13:30, 28 July 2026

2026-07-28T13:30:36Z

Kevin Wang at 13:29, 28 July 2026

2026-07-28T13:29:52Z

Kevin Wang: /* Theory */

2026-07-27T15:59:04Z

Theory

Kevin Wang: /* Gameplay considerations */

2025-05-16T21:27:44Z

Gameplay considerations

Kevin Wang: /* Gameplay considerations */

2025-05-16T21:17:12Z

Gameplay considerations

Kevin Wang: /* Descriptive answers */

2025-05-16T21:14:52Z

Descriptive answers

Kevin Wang at 21:10, 16 May 2025

2025-05-16T21:10:26Z

Dan Ni: Fold the content from the table into the text, as there is only one difference between the two cases in the table

2025-03-26T01:20:23Z

Fold the content from the table into the text, as there is only one difference between the two cases in the table

Kevin Wang at 01:33, 6 March 2025

2025-03-06T01:33:31Z

Kevin Wang at 01:33, 6 March 2025

2025-03-06T01:33:04Z

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 <onlyinclude>'''"Description acceptable"''' is a [[note]] occasionally appended to the beginning of [[tossup]]s or the end of [[bonus]] parts, to indicate that the desired answer may not have a proper name and/or that the answer line allows some leniency with giving a more common generic answer rather than the proper name of the thing being asked about. This represents an exception to the general principle that [[things have names]].
-Questions that can ''only'' be answered with a description are sometimes given the warning '''"Description required"''' instead.</onlyinclude>
+"Description acceptable" is sometimes given as a [[note to players]]. Questions that can ''only'' be answered with a description are sometimes given the note '''"Description required"''' instead.</onlyinclude>
 ==History==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Rules of the game}}
-<onlyinclude>'''"Description acceptable"''' is a [[warning]] occasionally appended to the beginning of [[tossup]]s or the end of [[bonus]] parts, to indicate that the desired answer may not have a proper name and/or that the answer line allows some leniency with giving a more common generic answer rather than the proper name of the thing being asked about. This represents an exception to the general principle that [[things have names]].
+<onlyinclude>'''"Description acceptable"''' is a [[note]] occasionally appended to the beginning of [[tossup]]s or the end of [[bonus]] parts, to indicate that the desired answer may not have a proper name and/or that the answer line allows some leniency with giving a more common generic answer rather than the proper name of the thing being asked about. This represents an exception to the general principle that [[things have names]].
 Questions that can ''only'' be answered with a description are sometimes given the warning '''"Description required"''' instead.</onlyinclude>

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ==Theory==
-The exact meaning of "Description acceptable" has been disputed. In particular, when an answer has no proper name at all, questions may utilize either "Description acceptable" or "Description required" - the question must be answered with the description, so it is technically "acceptable", but "required" is more explicit.<ref>[https://hsquizbowl.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=404897 You're probably not using "Description acceptable" enough"] by [[Dan Ni|dni]] » Thu Jul 10, 2014 2:55 pm</ref> Rarely, questions will not include any instruction for such an answer, with the reasoning that the only correct answer is a description, so adding no warning places the onus on the player to know what kind of answer is required.
+The exact meaning of "Description acceptable" has been disputed. In particular, when an answer has no proper name at all, questions may utilize either "Description acceptable" or "Description required" - the question must be answered with the description, so it is technically "acceptable", but "required" is more explicit.<ref>[https://hsquizbowl.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=404897 You're probably not using "Description acceptable" enough"] by [[Dan Ni|dni]] » Wed Mar 05, 2025 5:10 pm</ref> Rarely, questions will not include any instruction for such an answer, with the reasoning that the only correct answer is a description, so adding no warning places the onus on the player to know what kind of answer is required.
 Like the lenient prompts that they evolved from, the inclusion of "Description acceptable" warnings is a choice that depends on if they are "necessary" and/or "useful", for some definition of those terms.

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 Without the warning, players may not realize they have sufficient knowledge to answer a question if they only remember a description rather than a proper name; its presence serves to signal players that there is a deviation from typical acceptability rules. Advocates for always including the warning on tossups with descriptive answers argue that this is the most transparent option.
-However, adding the warning is not strictly a positive. Like questions with unique [[pronoun]]s it is possible to [[metagame]] questions that include the warning. Much like all metagaming this is generally a concern that is most significant at low [[difficulties]] but the decrease in the [[answerspace]] can be significant. If the impact of adding it is deemed to be negative (or even positive but small) an editor may opt to not include it.
+However, adding the warning is not strictly a positive. Like questions with unique [[pronoun]]s it is possible to [[metagame]] questions that include the warning. Much like all metagaming this is generally a concern that is most significant at low [[difficulties]] but the decrease in the [[answerspace]] can be significant. The absence of a standardized definition of when the warning appears also means that players have to intuit what the editor intends by using it. If the impact of adding it is deemed to be negative (or even positive but small) an editor may opt to not include it.
 {{Refs}}
 {{c|Quizbowl lingo}}

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 Without the warning, players may not realize they have sufficient knowledge to answer a question if they only remember a description rather than a proper name; its presence serves to signal players that there is a deviation from typical acceptability rules. Advocates for always including the warning on tossups with descriptive answers argue that this is the most transparent option.
-However, adding the warning is not strictly a positive. Like questions with unique [[pronoun]]s it is possible to [[metagame]] questions that include the warning. Much like all metagaming this is generally a concern that is most significant at low [[difficulties]] but the decrease in the [[answerspace]] can be significant.
+However, adding the warning is not strictly a positive. Like questions with unique [[pronoun]]s it is possible to [[metagame]] questions that include the warning. Much like all metagaming this is generally a concern that is most significant at low [[difficulties]] but the decrease in the [[answerspace]] can be significant. If the impact of adding it is deemed to be negative (or even positive but small) an editor may opt to not include it.
 {{Refs}}
 {{c|Quizbowl lingo}}

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 While it is worth thinking about answers that are unambiguous descriptions (and what criteria are used that to decide that), it is also useful to consider edge cases when formulating one's thoughts on what counts as a "descriptive answer":
-* geographic regions: the American {{bu|Northeast}}, {{bu|Northeast India}}, {{bu|Northeast China}}.
+* geographic regions: the American Northeast, Northeast India, Northeast China.
-* parts of a larger work: {{bu|opening number of a musical}}, {{bu|fourth movement}} of {{bu|Beethoven's 7th}}, the {{bu|mad scene from ''Lucia di Lammermoor''}}
+* parts of a larger work: opening number of a musical, fourth movement of Beethoven's 7th, the mad scene from ''Lucia di Lammermoor''
-* something with a name in an unusual context: the {{bu|Glorious Revolution}} clued only from economics
+* something with a name in an unusual context: the Glorious Revolution clued only from economics
 Note that these are not all typically (or even frequently) considered descriptive answers and are merely meant to be examples.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 <onlyinclude>'''"Description acceptable"''' is a warning occasionally appended to the beginning of [[tossup]]s or the end of [[bonus]] parts, to indicate that the desired answer may not have a proper name and/or that the answer line allows some leniency with giving a more common generic answer rather than the proper name of the thing being asked about. This represents an exception to the general principle that [[things have names]].
-Questions that can ''only'' be answered with a description are sometimes given the warning '''"description required"''' instead.</onlyinclude>
+Questions that can ''only'' be answered with a description are sometimes given the warning '''"Description required"''' instead.</onlyinclude>
 ==History==
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ==Theory==
-In the strictest reading, the only acceptable answers for a question are those which explicitly satisfy all clues. However, convention allow for writers and editors to provide leniency by including additional acceptable answers - the most common example is accepting answers that are discussed in particular clues but are too specific for others. A "description acceptable" warning is an example of this practice, which is sometimes codified in rule sets.
+Strictly speaking, an answer must explicitly satisfy all clues in a question. However, convention allows for leniency in certain cases, such as accepting answers that are referenced in specific clues but may be too specific elsewhere.
-It is possible to write a question which accepts descriptions but does not inform the players with a warning - however, this creates a situation where players may not be aware that they have the knowledge necessary to answer a question. The desire to avoid this outcome drove the adoption of "description acceptable" warnings and has allowed questions to have broader answerlines while avoiding this negative outcome.
+The "Description acceptable" warning is one way to formalize this leniency. For answers that have a well-known proper name, no warning is necessary, as players are expected to provide the correct name. For answers with a proper name but a more commonly known description (e.g. "the boat from the beginning of ''Heart of Darkness''" instead of "the ''Nellie''") or for answers with no proper name, a warning is often expected. Without this warning, players may not realize they have sufficient knowledge to answer a question if they only remember a description rather than a proper name. The adoption of "Description acceptable" has helped broaden answerlines while reducing unnecessary confusion.
-There is some ambiguity regarding precisely what is implied by "description acceptable", as well as the proper course of action for answers with no proper name. Some have advocated for variations of "description or specific answer acceptable" to convey the full set of acceptable answers.
+The exact meaning of "Description acceptable" has been disputed. In particular, when an answer has no proper name at all, questions may utilize either "Description acceptable" or "Description required", as the question must be answered with the description, so it is technically "acceptable", though "Description required" is more explicit.<ref>[https://hsquizbowl.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=404897 You're probably not using "Description acceptable" enough"] by [[Dan Ni|dni]] » Thu Jul 10, 2014 2:55 pm</ref> Rarely, questions will not include any instruction for such an answer, with the reasoning that the only correct answer is a description, so no warning is appropriate.
 {{Refs}}
 {{c|Quizbowl lingo}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:33, 6 March 2025
Line 39:		Line 39:

	{{Refs}}		{{Refs}}
		+	{{c\|Quizbowl lingo}}

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 It is possible to write a question which accepts descriptions but does not inform the players with a warning - however, this creates a situation where players may not be aware that they have the knowledge necessary to answer a question. The desire to avoid this outcome drove the adoption of "description acceptable" warnings and has allowed questions to have broader answerlines while avoiding this negative outcome.
-There is some ambiguity regarding precisely what is implied by "description acceptable", as well as the proper course of action for answers with no proper name:
+There is some ambiguity regarding precisely what is implied by "description acceptable", as well as the proper course of action for answers with no proper name. Some have advocated for variations of "description or specific answer acceptable" to convey the full set of acceptable answers.
 {|class="wikitable
 !Scenario