Card rules · 2026-11-02

A Negative Score Can Still Be the Better Result

The sign of a score does not tell you whether it is good or bad. First establish whether the exercise prefers a higher or a lower total.

The sign of a score does not tell you whether it is good or bad. First establish whether the exercise prefers a higher or a lower total.

Under a higher-total-wins rule, minus two ranks above minus five. Both are below zero, but minus two is closer to zero. Under a lower-penalty-total rule using the same numbers, minus five would instead be the preferred value.

Keep the scoring direction beside the result. Calling every negative number a loss imports an outcome that the number alone does not contain. Compare values using the stated ranking rule, then describe the result in words.