How PIN IT! Scoring Adds Up
PIN IT! drops you into a daily geography challenge: the same ten questions for everyone, one shared map, and one leaderboard that keeps track of who can pinpoint locations best. Each round works the same way — you tap the map to drop your pin, the game reveals the distance to the actual target, and you get a point total for that guess. Add those ten round scores together and you get your daily total.
The key detail? Both distance and speed feed into that total. You see both “DISTANCE” and “POINTS” on screen after every round, so you can immediately tell how one good guess compares to another.
Pick Your Time Category First
Before the daily challenge starts, you choose how much time you want per question:
| Category | Time per question |
|---|---|
| Slow | 30 seconds |
| Normal | 15 seconds |
| Speed | 5 seconds |
That choice shapes your whole game. With 30 seconds, you can zoom in, scan the map, and place a careful pin. With 5 seconds, you have to commit fast and rely on instinct. The scoring system doesn’t publish its exact formula, but the faster categories clearly reward a different kind of play: quick recognition and confident pin placement.
Because every round is timed, dropping a pin first is non-negotiable. The game even reminds you — “Drop a pin first” — and a round without a pin means no points for that question.
The Daily Leaderboard Resets at a Specific Time
PIN IT!'s daily board is a same-day competition. It resets at 9:00 AM Amsterdam time, and it’s shared with the iOS app, so everyone is on the same board regardless of device. That reset is important if you’re chasing rankings: when a new day starts, scores from yesterday don’t carry over. You get a fresh start, but so does everyone else.
The “today” view is the one that matters for daily standings. There are also monthly and all-time boards, which are useful if you’re tracking long-term progress. But if your goal is to climb the daily leaderboard, focus on the ten questions available right now.
Day Streaks: Browser-Based but Steady
Your profile stats — games played, best score, average score, and day streak — are tracked in the browser you use. That means the streak is tied to that browser, not to an account. Use the same browser and play the daily challenge on consecutive days to build your day streak. Miss a day and the streak likely breaks, so consistency is the core mechanic.
The stats panel also shows yesterday’s daily score and a “Top 10 Bonus” field. If you land in the top ten on a daily board, that bonus appears in your stat line. The exact bonus amount isn’t spelled out in the game, but it’s another reason to push for a top-ten finish.
Tip: Before starting, review yesterday’s score in your stats. If you were close to the top ten, aim for a similar distance performance today — consistent day-to-day scores are the easiest path up the rankings.
Mindset for Ranking Players
Ranking in PIN IT! isn’t about guessing randomly and hoping. It’s about understanding how each round contributes to your final total.
- Every distance measurement counts, so a miss is expensive. Try to place a pin in every round, even if you aren’t sure.
- Your time category affects how careful you can be — choose the one that lets you balance accuracy and speed without leaving questions unanswered.
- The daily board resets at 9:00 AM Amsterdam time, so plan around that if you want to see your name near the top.
- Because the same ten questions are given to everyone daily, your score is directly comparable to every other player’s score that day.
The formula may stay hidden, but the ingredients are clear: distance decides your points, the time category sets the pace, and the daily board decides where you land. Keep your streak alive, keep your pins close, and the leaderboard will follow.
