Games, Puzzles, Constructions

Games require losers. Games require at least one winner. Games can make losers better at the thing the game does, and sometimes that turns a loser into a winner, and can turn winners into losers if they don't keep up with the getting better. Over time, everyone in the game can get better without having any impact on the ratio of winners and losers. Paradoxically, being good enough to win can lower the incentive to get better. Jonathan Edwards, who has held the world's record for the triple jump since 1995, is ambivalent that no one has done better than he has for 30 years. Athletes are winning contests -- winning Olympic gold medals -- without needing to improve on his performance.