We Raced to Every Train Station in Taiwan - Ep 5

0:00 Hello and welcome back to episode five of our five-day

0:03 race to claim the most train stations in Taiwan.

0:05 Right now, we're halfway through the game,

0:07 and most of the map has already filled up.

0:09 Ben and Adam spread their territory pretty thin,

0:11 heading in a loop around the island,

0:12 while Mike and I have spent most of the game up north,

0:15 fortifying the area around Taipei.

0:16 This could end up being a problem for Ben and Adam,

0:18 who are currently heading north on the isolated east coast line.

0:21 If they don't have enough chips to break past our big

0:24 wall around Taipei once they reach the top of that line,

0:26 they might be forced to retreat and waste hours

0:29 heading backwards before they can find anything new to claim.

0:32 Knowing that they need to go big, Ben and Adam just bet a lot on a call

0:35 your shot challenge in Yuli at the end of the last episode.

0:38 If they can pull it off,

0:39 it might be enough to break into our territory, but they're taking a big risk.

0:43 If they fail, there's almost no way for them to get

0:45 the chips that they need anywhere else on this line.

0:47 So, let's see what happens.

0:52 Alright, Ben.

0:52 Well, I've realized that the train that we wanna

0:54 get out of here leaves in like 40 minutes.

0:57 And we're pretty far from the station.

0:59 So I think we gotta try to do this fast.

1:03 Okay.

1:03 We're coming up on the...

1:05 ...continental divide here.

1:07 I will say that it is quite windy.

1:09 The wind is definitely freaking me out.

1:12 Yeah, it's windier than it was in that 7-Eleven, that's for sure.

1:16 Yeah.

1:17 Oh look, okay.

1:18 This is where...

1:20 the Eurasian plate...

1:23 ...meets the Philippine Sea Plate.

1:26 Look, they've got this little thing, so I can stand in both at once.

1:28 Does it feel awesome?

1:29 I feel awesome!

1:31 You know what'll feel even more awesome?

1:32 Yeah?

1:33 120 chips.

1:35 Lemme try and measure it out.

1:36 I'm gonna do a little bit of practice.

1:49 Oh (bleep) Oooh!

2:09 Wow.

2:10 (hyperventilates laughing) Are these— What do you think these guys are for?

2:12 Yeah.

2:13 Is this for erosion from the sea or anti-tank?

2:16 Speaking of which, if you zoom in out there...

2:19 It's da boyz.

2:20 That is...

2:21 ...some sort of Navy vessel.

2:23 It's da boyz.

2:24 Okay.

2:25 Our balance is up to 141.

2:27 Their balance is down to 33.

2:29 They do have more stations right now.

2:30 Right.

2:31 But only by 18.

2:32 So our big choice right now is do we go south, or do we go north?

2:36 Looking at where they are,

2:38 and under the idea of collecting as many stations as we can,

2:42 I think it would be really great to go towards them,

2:46 dropping fives on every single one of those stations.

2:49 Alternatively, we could keep going past them and drop fives all the way down.

2:54 If they only have 30, they could go six stations.

2:57 I mean, my thinking is I don't want

2:58 to ever be further from the Steals than they are.

3:01 Right.

3:01 Going beyond them gives them the advantage to come north and grab the Steals.

3:05 Because...

3:05 very possible that what happened yesterday happens again.

3:08 Yeah.

3:08 And we have to quickly respond to get to a Steal before them.

3:11 Yeah.

3:12 I'm tempted to go north.

3:13 I think we could build a big wall here.

3:17 You know, bolster what we just dropped.

3:18 So as we're leaving, just dropping chips.

3:21 Because then we'll force them to go back down around the south,

3:24 which is gonna take them a huge amount of time.

3:26 And everything right now is in the north.

3:28 Yep.

3:28 So box them in, in the south based on their low balance right now.

3:31 Yeah.

3:31 And...

3:32 And once we fortified that, we almost don't ever have to come back this way.

3:36 Right.

3:36 I don't know if we can ever make

3:37 it 100% mathematically impossible for them to progress north.

3:41 No, but it makes it so expensive Yeah.

3:43 to progress further.

3:44 Where it strategically just doesn't make sense.

3:46 Yeah.

3:46 Should we go to the station, get on the next train north,

3:49 and then we can do some math to figure out our deposits?

3:51 Sounds good.

3:52 Cookin'!

3:53 (sighs loudly) Going north.

3:54 Take a peek at the south here, because I don't know how this game's gonna go,

3:58 and this may be the furthest south we get if we're strongholding the north.

4:03 It's a little bit of shame because this coast is gorgeous.

4:05 It's really nice.

4:06 I'm sure Ben and Adam have some great views right now too.

4:08 I hope they do.

4:13 The wind is definitely scaring me.

4:16 You gotta start from this biker and then get basically equidistant.

4:21 Okay.

4:22 Oh dude, the wind.

4:24 Okay, here?

4:25 Yep.

4:26 Okay, I'm gonna start.

4:27 Okay.

4:31 Oh dude, the (bleep) -ing wind.

4:43 You're doing good.

4:47 The wind is scaring the (bleep) out of me.

4:51 Ehhh...

4:53 Okay, take your time.

4:55 Take your time.

4:56 Quick, quick donut.

4:57 We made a quick victory stop for donuts.

4:58 Oh yeah.

4:59 These do look really good.

5:00 They were frying them in like a wok.

5:02 Super fresh.

5:04 Mmm, that's really good.

5:05 Mmm.

5:06 Yeah.

5:07 Oh yeah.

5:08 Thank you.

5:08 Xiexie.

5:09 Thank you.

5:10 That is an excellent donut.

5:11 Mmm-hm.

5:12 I made a lot of good decisions in this town.

5:14 Alright.

5:15 Goodbye my guy.

5:17 Thanks for having us.

5:18 How awesome is this station?

5:20 Really cool modern shape to it, under the mountain.

5:23 I'm very impressed for a town of this size.

5:26 Yeah.

5:27 Basically, Sam and I are just walking around going, "Cool,

5:30 look at that!" That's my experience with Taiwan so far, basically.

5:32 Aw, look at that— Aw, donut burgers!

5:34 Oh, look at this!

5:35 Oh wow!

5:36 Like, look at this.

5:39 Look at that.

5:40 Oh—!

5:44 How far do I need to get?

5:45 You'll just tell me?

5:46 Yeah, it's the fourth biker.

5:59 (groans shakily) One more biker.

6:08 Okay, almost there, right?

6:10 Yep.

6:12 One more biker.

6:16 And...

6:18 ...complete.

6:19 Let's go.

6:25 (laughs) Pretty good stuff.

6:28 120 chips.

6:31 That...

6:32 could change everything.

6:34 That's really big.

6:35 They earned 120 chips.

6:38 Geez!

6:39 Oh, that was a massive call your shot again, I guess.

6:43 Those guys are going big.

6:45 Maybe we want to make some really risky call your shots.

6:48 'Cause it's clearly working out for them.

6:50 We gotta go bigger.

6:51 I think this is a signal.

6:52 The game's changing.

6:53 We need to get back to the station.

6:54 Is there any chance that we can make that train?

6:56 I think we gotta just go and try to make it.

7:00 Alright, Ben.

7:01 The new challenge is...

7:03 50 chip...

7:04 Oh, it's way down.

7:05 Way south.

7:06 Way down.

7:07 That's gonna be one for them.

7:08 It's in Kaohsiung.

7:09 It's in our territory.

7:09 So that's actually good.

7:11 That means that we have some chips back there.

7:14 I just don't wanna go back that way.

7:15 If we have to retreat.

7:17 What do you think?

7:17 Because that now gives them a huge chip

7:20 advantage that we thought we had the chip advantage.

7:23 Yeah.

7:23 It's actually brought them pretty much back to equal with us,

7:25 but they still hold more stations.

7:27 Not only that, but they— they've used a lot more to secure their stations.

7:31 I think honestly, the only thing that we have right now going

7:34 in our favor is a better map of challenges to go to.

7:36 Yeah.

7:37 Question is, do we still bolster with fives on each stop?

7:41 I want to say yes, but it— obviously,

7:44 the percentages to their chips in pocket at the moment makes it...

7:49 Well, it's like, I don't think we're gonna

7:50 dissuade them from coming this way at this point.

7:52 No, when they have so much.

7:53 Yeah.

7:54 So it's like, if they want to come this way, they're gonna come this way.

7:58 Train's coming.

8:01 Train.

8:08 They got all these, you know,

8:10 local trains all around the country that are basically like metros.

8:13 They have a great style.

8:15 Again, vintage styling, but in like perfect condition.

8:32 Look, we just really gotta hope that we can make this train, honestly.

8:36 Ugh, dude.

8:37 I don't know if it's possible.

8:38 It leaves in 17 minutes.

8:41 It says we're a 31 minute walk away.

8:43 Because the next one's not for what, like an hour?

8:45 Yeah, we lose like a whole hour,

8:47 and that's an hour where they're gonna be able to fortify and earn more.

8:51 We could go back to Kaohsiung or whatever

8:53 now that there's a challenge down there.

8:54 I just don't think that's the right— No, no.

8:56 Not for 50 chips that far away.

9:00 I think we want to go to the challenge that they failed.

9:03 Yeah, I definitely think that that's what we wanna do.

9:05 As long as we can break into their territory

9:07 before they're able to do another Steal.

9:10 Yeah.

9:10 I think the question's gonna be,

9:12 are we gonna be able to afford to break into their territory up there?

9:15 But look, when we get to the train station,

9:17 let's look at the map and look at the state of the board.

9:19 Yeah.

9:20 And see if we can get up there.

9:22 Okay.

9:23 We gotta make some decisions pretty soon.

9:25 'Cause we're about to get to the stations that we didn't fortify with fives.

9:29 Okay.

9:30 Well, they're not actually that close to the train station.

9:33 They do have a train north leaving in four minutes,

9:36 but it doesn't look like they're close enough to take that.

9:40 So that makes me think that they don't intend to go north.

9:42 We thought that Ben and Adam

9:43 were intentionally missing their train heading north,

9:45 and were going to start retreating instead.

9:47 So we figured we didn't need to do any fortifying after all,

9:49 and left the next station with just one chip.

9:52 But then we realized that Ben and Adam were waiting for the train

9:55 north and had just missed the one we thought they were gonna take,

9:57 which meant that they now had plenty of time

9:59 to fortify the line before they could get to our territory.

10:02 Okay, now back to the show.

10:04 I think I'm game for going to five for the next...

10:07 There's only three more stations, and we've only missed once.

10:10 We're— We'd be pretty close to the maximum defenses we could build.

10:14 And we could build more after that.

10:16 I think that's worth it.

10:18 Because I think the thing is, if they're going north,

10:21 then they're either gonna have to spend a ton of budget flipping stations...

10:25 Exactly.

10:26 or they're gonna have to turn south and waste a ton of time.

10:30 Yep.

10:30 So I think it's worth it, kind of regardless of what they do.

10:33 Great.

10:45 Well, Ben...

10:46 we're at the station, and we were not even close to making that train.

10:51 No, that train is long gone.

10:52 That train left 15 beautiful minutes ago.

10:55 There is another one.

10:56 In an hour.

10:57 Alright, well...

10:59 ...why don't you sit down?

11:00 Why don't you have a little beer, huh?

11:02 Yeah, I don't— Take a load off.

11:04 I don't know about that.

11:06 What are they doing?

11:07 Here is the good news.

11:09 They did not go down and try to claim...

11:12 No.

11:12 the stuff between here...

11:14 and there.

11:14 It's true.

11:15 There are a whole bu— I mean, how many stations...

11:17 I mean, there's like 16 stations that we can

11:21 go through for cheap up to the challenge they failed.

11:25 Yeah.

11:26 But even if they fived all of those, we could afford to get through it now.

11:29 So if we can do all of that before a Steal,

11:31 we could break in all the way up to there.

11:33 And get to the challenge that they failed.

11:35 Now could we get past that challenge and all the way up to Taipei?

11:40 There's a lot more stations there.

11:41 That's like 26 more stations.

11:43 That is a question for later.

11:45 I think we should just go straight there.

11:46 I think that that is the plan.

11:48 Go to the challenge that they failed,

11:50 break through a little bit of their territory.

11:52 I think that's gotta be the move.

11:53 I am feeling a lot better now that we...

11:57 ...Have 120 chips.

11:58 Got those chips.

12:00 Yeah.

12:03 Cheers.

12:03 Let's try it.

12:05 Should we both, two people that hate beer, try this beer?

12:09 Maybe we'll love this one.

12:11 Wait, wait.

12:12 Are we there?

12:14 Yeeaah.

12:15 Yeah, we're there.

12:22 Today, we'll be trying Buckskin beer.

12:24 We both don't like beer.

12:30 Beer is just not good, Ben!

12:48 Let's go.

12:48 Time to go!

12:52 Alright, Ben, so...

12:54 Are we gonna just put down one?

12:57 Well actually, hold on.

12:58 Let's see what they're— what's— what they're doing.

13:01 'Cause they're heading north.

13:02 Are they fortifying those lines?

13:03 Oh yeah.

13:04 Yeah.

13:05 They've got five on a bunch of these.

13:08 Okay.

13:10 I mean, that is sort of what we expected.

13:12 It looks like they might be...

13:15 ...going for that 50 coin challenge.

13:18 Okay.

13:18 Up there.

13:19 Alright.

13:20 They're about to get to the station where they would stop before then.

13:46 Four more on Su'aoxin Station.

13:48 Hey, Adam and Ben.

13:50 They're right there on the bench.

13:52 Come and get 'em if you want 'em.

13:53 I don't think they're allowed to pick them up.

13:55 Oh yeah, leave them there.

13:56 But you've gotta put more down.

13:58 Yeah.

14:02 So this challenge is the one that we saw from the train earlier,

14:04 at the giant crayons.

14:06 Oh, the crayons.

14:08 I was gonna say, there's not a lot around here.

14:09 There's crayons, and there's coal.

14:11 Grayons, as I called them.

14:13 How cool is that?

14:15 It's cool.

14:17 Whoa!

14:18 Okay, they just left Yuli.

14:19 They're officially headed north.

14:21 They are?

14:21 Okay, good call.

14:22 Okay.

14:22 So we made the right decision in the end.

14:24 To reinforce with chips.

14:26 Yeah.

14:27 It's still a question of whether we can really dissuade them,

14:29 because they already have a high balance.

14:31 If they're successful with the challenge they're

14:32 going to, they're gonna have a huge balance.

14:35 If we want to get to Taipei by the end of the day...

14:39 again...

14:39 Yes.

14:40 Yes.

14:40 the last train to give us sort an hour there, would leave in 54 minutes.

14:45 Ooh.

14:45 And it's an express train.

14:47 So we need a reservation.

14:48 So we need a couple minutes to do that.

14:49 Right, so 45 minutes.

14:51 Etc, etc, etc.

14:52 Yeah.

14:52 The good news is that they cannot make it

14:54 to Taipei by the end of the day from their challenge,

14:57 assuming they stop at the challenge.

14:58 Ben, let me just...

15:00 let me just...

15:03 For one second.

15:04 Tell me.

15:05 If they're stopping to do a challenge...

15:10 Oh, are you saying go past them and do the Steal?

15:12 Could we get to the Taipei Steal before them?

15:17 Or at the same time as them?

15:19 I mean, I don't think— we don't have enough

15:22 to break through to Taipei all the way now.

15:25 I don't know if that's true.

15:27 Do we?

15:28 Let's see.

15:28 Well, we have a whole lot of chips.

15:30 Let's see, let's look.

15:32 Let me add it up, okay?

15:33 Can you take out your calculator please?

15:35 You know our games are good when we bust out the calculator.

15:38 I think the main thing is that I would

15:40 love to be on that train in about 50 minutes.

15:42 Okay.

15:43 So hopefully this is something we can do relatively fast, but relatively well.

15:47 'Cause the problem is if we fail this, I think that they're heading this way,

15:50 and it just makes this...

15:51 We already have a failed challenge near here.

15:53 It makes it more valuable for them.

15:55 So once again, we can't fail this.

15:57 Okay.

15:58 What do you think, Sam?

15:59 You a big fan of crayons?

16:00 I like these crayons.

16:01 Yeah.

16:03 I'm stressed.

16:04 Who's this guy?

16:06 Crayon man?

16:07 Su— Yeah.

16:08 Ready?

16:09 Ready.

16:11 Win Crayon Mastermind.

16:17 Win Crayon Mastermind.

16:19 Acquire some crayons.

16:21 You will use these crayons to play a game of Mastermind.

16:24 You get one attempt of seven guesses, otherwise the challenge is failed.

16:27 We'll explain the rules of Mastermind in a few minutes.

16:31 Do you know the game Mastermind?

16:32 No.

16:32 It's like a puzzle.

16:34 Random sequence.

16:34 I think you have six colors.

16:37 It's a random generated sequence of four.

16:39 It's like, do you manage to put the right ones in the right position?

16:44 How good are you at logic puzzles?

16:45 Yeah, pretty decent.

16:46 Okay.

16:47 I'm not great.

16:48 So this might be one— I thought this would be up your alley.

16:51 Nah, I'm not very good at puzzles.

16:53 Okay.

16:53 So we need crayons, and...

16:56 the deal, we planned this, was that we're

16:58 not going inside because this is a children's thing.

17:01 Yeah.

17:12 I'm learning the rules first.

17:15 So, we...

17:19 We could beat them to Taipei.

17:21 If we used every single chip that we have...

17:24 ...we could get to just outside of Taipei Station.

17:28 I think it's...

17:29 "Nan-gang".

17:30 Nangang Station.

17:31 It would use all of our chips.

17:35 Now here's the thing.

17:37 They can beat us to there...

17:41 but...

17:42 ...only if they get on a train in a half hour.

17:45 I think let's keep an eye on them.

17:47 If they miss that train, and therefore can't beat us to Taipei,

17:52 we should ride all the way to Taipei, beat them to the Steal and do the Steal.

17:58 I think if they get on that train, then we stick to our original plan.

18:01 I wonder if they realize that they need to get on that train.

18:15 Okay, so they're at the station of their next challenge now.

18:21 So it's gonna be really interesting to see...

18:23 If they keep going?

18:24 If they keep going.

18:25 If they keep going, I think we aren't

18:27 worried about them nabbing the Steal from us today.

18:32 There still maybe a world in which we make— wanna make a run for it.

18:35 Yep.

18:35 First, I think let's get a seat reservation as if we want to go to Taipei.

18:39 Yeah.

18:39 And then let's get this challenge done.

18:40 Yeah.

18:42 Hi.

18:42 Can we get a seat reservation on this to Taipei?

18:46 (indistinct) Can we do the standing?

18:50 Okay, that's good.

18:51 Great.

18:52 Thank you.

18:52 Thank you.

18:54 Thank you.

18:56 Okay.

18:56 You feeling like a mastermind?

18:58 (cracks up) I'm feeling like a mind.

19:01 I don't think I've mastered it quite yet.

19:03 Alright.

19:03 You wanna get started?

19:04 Yeah.

19:05 I would like a practice round.

19:07 Alright, while Mike does this in practice, let's explain how Mastermind works.

19:11 I randomly generated a secret code of four colors.

19:14 In this case, that code is green, orange, green, blue.

19:17 To start out, Mike has no information, so he'll just make a random guess.

19:21 He's going with purple, purple, yellow, yellow.

19:23 None of those colors are in the code at all, so Mike gets nothing,

19:26 but now he knows that there are no purples and no yellows.

19:30 Now it's the second guess: orange, orange, blue, blue.

19:32 He now gets two black markers.

19:35 A black marker means that Mike has the right color in the right spot.

19:39 We know the secret code, so we know he has the second and fourth ones right.

19:43 But Mike doesn't know which ones are right, just that two are correct.

19:46 Now it's his third guess: green, green, blue, blue.

19:49 Mike gets two black markers for the first

19:52 and fourth spot being right, and a white marker,

19:54 which means Mike has the right color in there, but in the wrong place.

19:57 In this case, it's this green, which should be in the third spot.

20:00 Okay, for the fourth guess, he's only making one change,

20:03 swapping that first green for a pink.

20:04 That's wrong, so now he gets one black marker and one white marker.

20:08 He's now further off, but he's learned something.

20:10 The pink crayon lost him a black marker.

20:13 That means it must have been right before, when it was green.

20:15 For the fifth guess, Mike puts the green back at the start

20:18 and moves the other green to the third spot.

20:20 That's great.

20:21 He's got three of them.

20:22 And then he looks back at his second try

20:24 and realizes that the second orange might have been right.

20:27 So he tries it, and boom, he's done it.

20:29 He has won Mastermind in only five guesses.

20:32 Pretty good!

20:33 Considering for our real try, he gets seven.

20:35 I mean, I feel like I logic'd it, but with a little bit of luck.

20:39 Do you wanna do another practice round?

20:41 No, I think I understand the game.

20:43 Okay.

20:43 And I don't think taking longer to try— Right.

20:46 I feel like we overpracticed last time,

20:47 and it would be great to catch this train.

20:49 Yeah.

20:50 Okay.

20:50 So get ready for a real round?

20:53 Look.

20:53 It's so beautiful, Ben.

20:55 We're on the water.

20:58 If we get the right angle, it'll look like we're in Spirited Away.

21:01 It'll look like we're just taking the train over the water.

21:03 Ooooh.

21:05 I'm Totoro.

21:06 Wait, no, that's— No, no.

21:08 That's a different— You would be Chihiro.

21:09 That's different.

21:10 I believe in you.

21:11 You just gotta think the (bleep) outta this, Mike.

21:13 Think the (bleep).

21:14 No, I actually think the opposite.

21:16 It is to not— You gotta vibe it.

21:18 Exactly.

21:23 Lock it in.

21:23 Lock it in.

21:24 You get one of each.

21:26 One of each.

21:26 That's not too helpful.

21:29 It gets us somewhere.

21:30 Well, let's do one of each, and then we'll introduce two greens.

21:35 You get three white.

21:37 Okay.

21:38 We're getting somewhere with that.

21:39 So we lost our position.

21:40 So one of those came out.

21:43 We did gain one with the green.

21:45 So we know there's a green in there.

21:47 So I'm gonna move those over and we're gonna take two greens.

21:52 And go like that.

21:53 I'll pull them down a bit.

21:54 You get two of these guys and one of these guys.

21:56 And one of these.

21:57 So one is still out of place, two are in place.

22:00 So, first one.

22:01 We had one right and one wrong.

22:04 But when I moved it over, they were all wrong.

22:07 So let's do this.

22:11 I don't know, a blue, and see, see that?

22:14 Three whites.

22:16 Oh, interesting.

22:17 Okay.

22:18 So we've gone a little bit backwards, but...

22:20 I did switch some things so we know a little bit more now.

22:24 I don't want to rush you, but to inform you, we have seven minutes to our train.

22:27 Seven minutes.

22:28 So we had one right, the first go.

22:29 —had two right.

22:30 And now we're— That one had one right.

22:32 (overlapping voices) Those were all in the wrong place,

22:42 but it's not a blue, so let's try an orange.

22:45 Alright.

22:45 Lock it in?

22:46 Yeah.

22:46 This is our number five.

22:48 So we have two more guesses after this.

22:53 We got three.

22:54 Three.

22:54 Okay.

22:55 So I'm going to guess that it's not orange.

22:59 Which means I'm gonna guess it's pink.

23:01 Yeah.

23:01 You're happy with that?

23:03 Yeah.

23:04 You've won!

23:06 We got it!

23:10 Let's...!

23:12 There we go.

23:14 Logic!

23:14 Wait.

23:15 Let's get cleared up and let's get on that train.

23:17 They said challenge is successful.

23:19 Ugh.

23:20 I was really hoping they would fail that 'cause we're so close to it.

23:23 Think we should just hop off and get a...

23:25 (sighs) It's possible that we're just gonna have

23:27 to backtrack if we can't get enough to break through.

23:29 Look, we just have to see what the math

23:31 looks like once we're done with that challenge.

23:33 'Cause we're about to get another challenge right now.

23:35 We're generating the next challenge.

23:37 Woo.

23:38 It's in Taipei.

23:39 Lemme tell you, it's in Taipei.

23:45 (bleep) All the more reason for us to want to break through to Taipei.

23:50 And I would say sort of double bad news...

23:53 Means that they're— It seems like they are getting on that train,

23:55 which means we cannot beat them to Taipei

23:57 and do the awesome thing we wanted to do.

23:59 Not only did we not beat them to Taipei,

24:01 but they're probably gonna have a chance

24:03 to reinforce— They're gonna be able to fortify now.

24:05 So we wouldn't be able to get there.

24:06 We wouldn't afford it.

24:07 Which does mean that we will have to get off in...

24:11 what, "Jow-ksee"?

24:13 "Zhou-shi".

24:14 "Jow-shi".

24:15 I mean, I don't know why I just corrected your pronun— (giggles) I have no idea!

24:18 You sounded very confident.

24:19 The place where they failed their challenge.

24:21 Yeah.

24:21 Ugh.

24:36 Take some seats for a little while.

24:39 Okay.

24:41 So...

24:43 Checking on them now.

24:45 They are moving and arriving in Hualien City.

24:49 Which means...

24:50 They must have skipped the challenge.

24:51 Yeah.

24:52 That means they're making a big run north.

24:55 So we definitely wanna keep dropping chips

24:57 on all the stations as we pass through.

24:59 We wanna make this as expensive as possible.

25:01 Let me do some math.

25:03 Okay.

25:04 One, two, three...

25:05 41...

25:06 Times six.

25:08 We can make it mathematically impossible for them to get to Taipei.

25:10 I mean, that sounds good.

25:12 If we just dump budget Yep.

25:15 at every station Mhm.

25:16 they cannot get to Taipei.

25:17 And what that means...

25:19 they have to go...

25:20 All the way back.

25:21 all the way down.

25:22 Yeah.

25:23 That four each.

25:26 I love being in control.

25:28 (both giggle) And what are they up to?

25:43 I don't know.

25:44 Presumably they're going back to Taipei.

25:47 It's just like they have this big

25:49 bounty of challenges in Taipei, and it's just...

25:53 they've completely blocked it off from us.

25:55 Yeah.

25:56 And look.

25:57 They're continuing to fortify.

25:59 Yeah.

25:59 Yeah.

26:00 They're headed back up now.

26:01 They're fortifying.

26:02 Yeah.

26:02 I mean, they're just building a wall.

26:03 So it's gonna be— I mean, it's gonna be very expensive for us to get to Jiaoxi,

26:06 but we can do it at least.

26:08 We had to switch seats, but...

26:09 So I did the math.

26:11 They do have the budget to get to Jiaoxi where our failed challenge is.

26:15 Mm.

26:15 So they could do a challenge there.

26:16 They could do our challenge.

26:17 Right.

26:18 The Jiaoxi challenge.

26:18 Which is now worth more.

26:20 Which is now worth 12 coins per successful answer.

26:22 So it's possible that that would get 'em to...

26:25 you know, there is another challenge.

26:27 The variable reward challenge there.

26:29 I think if I've done my math right,

26:31 for them to get from the Jiaoxi failed challenge Yes.

26:35 to the variable challenge past it Right.

26:38 they would need to answer...

26:41 They would need 60 coins,

26:42 meaning they would need to answer five questions right.

26:44 Ooh.

26:44 Which— I find that hard to believe.

26:46 Mhm.

26:47 Three, I think is doable, to be honest.

26:49 I think we kinda just fumbled it.

26:51 Yes.

26:51 Four starts to get very challenging.

26:52 I don't know if you can do five.

26:54 No, no, no.

26:55 But they're gonna be— I feel like they're gonna be high risk,

26:57 high reward mentality with it.

26:59 So I feel like they'll make a really high bet.

27:01 'Cause they've been really hot lately.

27:02 And then maybe fail.

27:03 Yes.

27:04 We do have to keep in mind: They failed the challenge we're about to do,

27:07 which would indicate that it's hard.

27:10 Yeah.

27:11 But it is a call your shot, which means that we could make it easy.

27:13 So we could be a little bit more modest with it.

27:15 I mean, is there a world in which we want to go

27:17 for the other variable reward challenge to prevent them from getting it?

27:21 Yeah, potentially.

27:23 'Cause I think they're seeing that as their opportunity right now.

27:25 If we go to the variable reward closer...

27:29 Right.

27:30 And we take it from the map...

27:32 as long as we...

27:34 leave there before they would go through there...

27:41 Right.

27:41 I think we could 100% prevent them from getting to Taipei.

27:44 Okay.

27:45 Because assuming they can't get more than 60 coins.

27:48 Right.

27:49 And then they can't get to the variable.

27:52 Which means they then have to turn around and go all way back.

27:55 And waste a ton of time.

27:56 Which I think is huge.

27:58 I think if we go to the variable...

28:00 ...it's checkmate.

28:04 Alright.

28:05 There's...

28:06 Flip.

28:07 Xincheng.

28:08 Flip.

28:09 Six chips down.

28:12 We have started flipping their territory at great expense.

28:16 I just flipped the switch.

28:17 Good job.

28:18 You flip-flip.

28:19 It's a song.

28:20 That's a song that I was referencing.

28:24 That's what it looks like.

28:25 Yeah, that's what it looks like when we're playing.

28:27 That's what we're working off.

28:28 It looks prettier when you watch it.

28:29 There's a cool map and stuff.

28:31 Yeah.

28:31 We just have Google Sheets.

28:33 It's not right that I had to relearn Excel.

28:48 Hey Sam.

28:49 Yeah?

28:49 Should I put some more coins down on the station?

28:51 Oh yeah.

28:52 Oh yeah!

28:53 Give 'em all the coins.

28:54 Oh yeah!

28:56 That's another four!

29:01 It doesn't matter how small or rural the station.

29:04 We're putting down four.

29:10 Four more.

29:14 We're back at the cat village!

29:16 And even here, we're dropping four!

29:20 Wow.

29:22 Mike and Sam's territory is beautiful.

29:23 Oh no, that way.

29:24 That way, Ben.

29:25 Well, it's our territory now.

29:41 Oh, huh.

29:44 That's where they did their challenge.

29:59 If it makes you feel any better,

30:00 we've got a huge advantage on how many stations we've got.

30:04 It's crazy that we're in the lead by so much,

30:07 but I feel like we're losing 'cause we're in such a worse position.

30:10 Yeah.

30:10 Geographically.

30:11 Yeah.

30:12 Well it's just like, we are in the lead,

30:15 but we could be about to just lose it on our time.

30:18 Yeah.

30:18 Let that leave your mind.

30:21 We gotta focus on this challenge.

30:22 Maybe we can get enough on this challenge to break through.

30:26 We'll see.

30:27 Okay.

30:29 Welcome to Jiaoxi.

30:32 How do we got outta here?

30:40 A lot going on out here.

30:42 That garbage truck sings such a loud song.

30:59 Arriving in Nuannuan.

31:02 A town so nice, they named it twice.

31:10 Welcome to Nuannuan.

31:11 This is like we've been delivered straight to the jungle.

31:13 Oh yeah.

31:14 It's humid here.

31:15 It is!

31:16 What is here?

31:17 A challenge, I guess.

31:18 Yeah, it's just outside of the station.

31:20 So let's get there, and then...

31:22 What we do...

31:24 mm...

31:24 It kind of might depend on what they do.

31:27 As to whether we do the challenge or not?

31:29 As to whether we do it, how we do it.

31:32 I'll explain more in a second, but I think there's some complex strategy here.

31:36 Alright, they're approaching the springs.

31:39 Okay.

31:39 So they are doing the challenge.

31:40 They're definitely doing the challenge, yeah.

31:42 We have that confirmed.

31:55 Alright, well, we made it.

31:58 This does appear to be– according to the signs– the hot spring park,

32:01 which is a little more my speed.

32:03 Yeah, it seems nice.

32:04 I'm sick of the Monkey Mountain bull- (bleep).

32:06 But anyway, let's see what they failed.

32:09 Be in the hot seat.

32:16 Be in the hot seat.

32:17 You are now at one of Jiaoxi's many famous hot springs,

32:20 but you aren't here to relax.

32:22 You are in the hot seat.

32:23 While in a hot spring, one team member must correctly answer as many

32:27 trivia questions as they can in 60 seconds.

32:29 You can earn eight chips per correctly answered question,

32:32 but you must call your shot beforehand.

32:34 If you do not reach the number of correct answers you predicted,

32:36 you earn nothing and the challenge is failed.

32:39 The question asker can read the questions before you call your shot,

32:42 but cannot discuss any specifics with their teammate.

32:45 Which of us should ask, and which should answer?

32:48 The thing is we don't know what these questions are about.

32:50 We don't.

32:51 Right?

32:53 If they were like, this is LEGO Star Wars trivia, I would be like, put me in.

32:58 You do a trivia league, don't you?

33:00 I'm a trivia boy, yeah.

33:02 This is not a thing that I do.

33:03 Okay.

33:04 I think we will have you answer the questions,

33:06 and I will read the questions, and we will determine how many, should we...

33:12 Let's maybe go find the hot spring while you read the questions.

33:16 Okay.

33:17 And then we can discuss.

33:18 Let's— Let me take a look.

33:20 So I'm trying to think.

33:21 So like one factor for us is the map is really advantageous to us right now.

33:28 Right.

33:28 Meaning...

33:29 In some ways, we don't wanna mess with it.

33:31 Right.

33:32 Because we don't want something to flop down

33:34 that would make their route to Taipei a lot easier.

33:38 But on the other hand,

33:40 if they're successful in the challenge with enough budget to get here,

33:43 we definitely need to wipe the challenge from the map.

33:46 Right.

33:47 We want to get it off the map.

33:48 Yeah.

33:49 Wow!

33:49 So...

33:51 if we...

33:54 Do we want to wait to pull the challenge...

33:58 ...until maybe we hear what they've done?

34:00 Okay.

34:01 Does that make sense?

34:03 I mean, we burn time...

34:04 and we only have so long until the last train back to Taipei.

34:07 Okay.

34:07 They're doing a quiz.

34:09 They literally have one minute to answer as many questions as they can.

34:12 So it shouldn't take too long.

34:13 It won't take long.

34:14 So we should definitely wait.

34:15 I think we should wait.

34:17 Okay.

34:18 Let's get— Let's find a waiting spot.

34:20 Lots of hot spring action over here.

34:23 We should just find an area where we're gonna be the least disruptive.

34:26 Sure.

34:26 Oh my god.

34:27 They have a little dog in the hot spring.

34:30 So Ben, how many questions are we looking at total here?

34:34 So there are 13.

34:35 Okay.

34:36 But we only have 60 seconds.

34:38 We only have 60 seconds.

34:39 So, you know if— So, and you have to have— You have to ask the question too.

34:43 Yeah.

34:43 I mean, do you think that there is a chance

34:45 that we could get— that I could get 10 of them?

34:48 That's what we would need to get to Taipei.

34:49 Six seconds per question.

34:51 I mean...

34:53 It seems...

34:54 Could we practice with some made-up questions?

34:58 How fast can we get some?

34:59 We can vibe out.

35:00 Like how long does it take you to read a question and for us to answer?

35:04 Yeah.

35:05 Let me just pull up some random trivia questions.

35:08 Okay.

35:09 And go.

35:10 How many colors are in the rainbow?

35:14 Seven.

35:14 What insects never sleep?

35:18 I don't know.

35:19 Bees?

35:19 Flies?

35:20 Mosquitoes?

35:21 There's a lot of mosquitoes here.

35:22 Yeah, kind of annoying.

35:24 You're getting bit.

35:27 Oaugh.

35:28 My own blood.

35:30 What is the only animal with four knees?

35:34 Four knees?

35:35 Elephant.

35:36 I've ran out of random trivia questions.

35:38 Okay, so we did six in 40,

35:40 so we did— But those were easier than the ones we would be dealing with.

35:45 We were not even on pace for me to answer 10 with the easy ones that we tried.

35:50 So what would be a reasonable number?

35:52 Like six?

35:53 10 seconds per question.

35:55 Yeah.

35:55 It's also possible that they fail their challenge.

35:58 Have they stopped?

35:59 They've stopped.

36:00 I mean, it actually wouldn't be crazy, Ben, To see if they fail?

36:04 to see if they fail.

36:05 If they fail the challenge,

36:07 I think we should go for what we need to get to that.

36:10 Okay.

36:11 How many stations is that?

36:12 In order to get there...

36:15 ...we would only need 58 more coins.

36:17 So we would just need five questions.

36:19 I think five seems pretty safe.

36:22 I mean, keep in mind though.

36:25 We would need– at that challenge– to earn 54 chips.

36:31 Right.

36:31 So I think we could probably pull off six.

36:34 I don't think it's— if you think it's like

36:37 the difference between five and six to do it...

36:39 I mean, it's very hard to say.

36:42 I think we should wait and see if they fail their challenge.

36:48 Unless they're waiting us out right now.

36:50 Alright.

36:52 The waiting game.

36:54 We don't want to waste too much time.

36:57 If they succeed, we definitely should do this.

36:59 Right.

37:00 If they succeed with enough budget to get here, which is 58,

37:04 a win of 58, which for them would

37:06 mean answering five questions, we 100% do this.

37:09 And we do whatever we need to wipe it off the board.

37:11 Even, you know, the minimum bet.

37:13 Right.

37:13 If they fail, that's when things get interesting.

37:16 I mean, it should be 5–10 minutes maximum.

37:20 Unless they realize the value of wasting time.

37:30 Gosh, these— they're making us wait,

37:32 and these mosquitoes are eating us alive out here.

37:34 Yeah.

37:42 Alright.

37:42 They're really taking their time.

37:43 Do you think they're strategically delaying?

37:45 Yeah.

37:45 Maybe they at least want to make us

37:48 miss that next train outta here or something.

37:50 Yeah.

37:50 If we miss that...

37:52 ...we can still get most of the way to Taipei.

37:55 But we don't make it— We won't make it tonight.

37:58 No.

37:58 Which is probably fine as long as they don't

38:01 get some crazy points haul now in a way

38:03 where them being on the train that we want to take to Taipei would be a problem.

38:08 Or getting in front of us,

38:09 because I think they could have an express train, whereas we're on a local stop.

38:13 I think we could get six.

38:15 You think six?

38:16 I think we could probably get six.

38:18 Five is all we need to get to that next one.

38:20 I just don't think that the difference between five or six is that much, right?

38:24 In terms of difficulty.

38:26 Like...

38:26 Okay.

38:27 This is one of those things where I'm like,

38:28 I don't know, maybe I'm like, really, you know...

38:31 Okay, let's go for six.

38:33 Our train's in the station now.

38:34 There goes our ride.

38:36 Oh no, that's our train.

38:37 So that confirms that.

38:39 Okay, well, I guess we are not making it all the way to Taipei Central tonight.

38:48 Oh, it's a lot hotter than I thought it would be.

38:50 Oh my god.

38:51 Well, it's— you're in the hot seat.

38:52 Jesus!

38:53 Are they all like that?

38:55 No, no.

38:56 This one's normal.

38:57 In the hot spring?

38:58 I'm in the spring.

38:59 Feeling hot?

39:00 Yeah.

39:02 Okay.

39:02 Ready?

39:03 Okay.

39:05 Go.

39:06 Taiwanese film director Ang Lee has won two Best Director Oscars.

39:09 Name a film he directed.

39:10 A film– Life of Pi.

39:12 Correct.

39:13 What notable Jet Lag filming locale anagrams to "Ethan Slop"?

39:20 Pass.

39:20 At the time of writing,

39:21 what is the most viewed video on the Jet Lag: The Game YouTube channel?

39:25 Tag, episode one.

39:25 Tag, season one, episode one.

39:26 Yep.

39:27 Including this one, how many people have completed—- completed—

39:30 in at least one full season of Jet Lag: The Game?

39:34 Me, you, Sam, Michael...

39:39 Three winners, three losers.

39:41 Ten.

39:42 Correct.

39:43 Taiwan is one of "Four Asian Tigers",

39:44 four economies that grew and industrialized rapidly between the 1950s and 1980s.

39:48 Name one of the other three.

39:49 Singapore.

39:50 Yep.

39:52 Taiwan is the ninth most densely populated country in the world per Wikipedia.

39:55 Name one that outranked it.

39:56 Bangladesh.

39:57 Yeah.

39:58 In what decade was— Time.

40:05 That was five.

40:15 Well, we ought to let 'em know.

40:17 (whoops) Oh, they failed!

40:19 We knew it!

40:20 We knew it!

40:21 Caption+ by JS* caption.plus| @caption_plus Alright, let's go!

40:24 Big moves from some big boys.

40:27 This is exciting stuff.

40:30 Look, we've— No Taipei for y'all!

40:33 We've got more stations still.

40:35 (imitates buzzer) Remember.

40:37 Boxed out!

40:37 Still more stations.

40:37 I got five— I got five— Boxed out!

40:39 Denied!

40:40 Denied!

40:40 I got five words for you.

40:41 No, you don't.

40:42 Never count the boys out.

40:44 Never count 'em out.

40:45 And if the game ended right now, No Taipei for y'all.

40:48 we would win.

40:48 But it's not— not— Ben— Stop the count.

40:50 Stop the count.

40:50 Stop the count.

40:51 (grumbles) Look.

40:53 You want to know what's going to happen next?

40:55 I got one word for you.

40:57 The scoreboard is a lie.

40:58 That was way more than one.

41:00 My one word was Nebula.

41:01 Nebula.

41:02 Okay.

41:02 Wait, I gotta sneeze.

41:08 No, it went away.

41:09 Anyway, Nebula is a wonderful subscription service that is creator-run,

41:14 creator-owned, creator-founded.

41:16 And not only does it have obviously every episode of Jet Lag one week early,

41:20 not only does it have the Layover podcast,

41:22 our exclusive aftershow podcast where we break down every week's episode,

41:25 not only does it have...

41:27 at this point, is it...

41:29 Have we made a dozen Nebula Orig— Probably not a dozen.

41:32 Half?

41:33 Close to it.

41:34 More than half.

41:34 We made a lot of Nebula Originals and we'll pop them all up right now.

41:39 You wanna know one new thing that's on Nebula right now?

41:41 Mhm?

41:41 It's a series called A Bit Obscure.

41:43 It's by abitfrank, and abitfrank goes on site to basically creepy

41:49 places and checks them out and tells you all about them.

41:52 So if you're watching Jet Lag, and you're saying,

41:54 "This is pretty good, but I wish that it was creepy", well...

41:58 I could do my vampire voice.

42:00 Yes.

42:00 That's true.

42:01 Do it, do it, do it, do the call to action,

42:04 which is the last part of the read, in a vampire voice.

42:06 Go.

42:06 Okay.

42:06 Do you think that Nebula costs too much money?

42:11 Well, well, well.

42:14 If you sign up at our link...

42:17 .../jetlag, you get 50% off an annual plan.

42:24 Ah ah ah.