核心畫面

Hold one card that has no name of its own. It is not the queen of hearts and it is not the seven of ; it is whatever the hand still needs. Two things follow from that, and every use of the word comes out of one of them. Because the card can become anything, it is the most useful card at the table. And because it can become anything, nobody sitting opposite can work out what the hand will turn into. The same blank card is both a gift and a thing you cannot calculate.

可以想成手上有一張沒有自己名字的牌。它不是紅心皇后,也不是黑桃七,你缺什麼它就是什麼。從這裡會長出兩件事,而這個字的更多收起可以想成手上有一張沒有自己名字的牌。它不是紅心皇后,也不是黑桃七,你缺什麼它就是什麼。從這裡會長出兩件事,而這個字的每一種用法都是其中一件。因為它可以變成任何東西,所以它是桌上最好用的一張。也因為它可以變成任何東西,坐在對面的人就算不出這手牌最後會變成什麼。同一張空白的牌,一邊是好處,一邊是算不準。

Three branches

你缺什麼,它就當什麼

這一家取核心畫面的第一面:一個沒有固定身分的位子,誰需要就變成誰。牌桌上是一張牌,搜尋框裡是一個符號。

noun · B2

In a card game, a card that can count as any card the player needs, instead of having a fixed value of its own.

萬用牌

算不準的那一個

這一家取核心畫面的另一面。正因為那張牌可以變成任何東西,對手就無法事先推算;這個「算不出來」的感覺被搬到人、天氣、車流這些東西上。

noun · B2

A person, thing, or event whose behaviour or effect on a situation nobody can guess, so nobody can be sure how the situation will end.

變數;難以預測的人

破例發出的入場券

萬用牌不照一般規則計分;比賽裡的外卡也不照一般規則取得資格。名額是主辦單位發的,不是成績打出來的。

noun · B2

A place in a competition that is given to a player or team who did not do well enough to qualify in the usual way, or the player or team who is given it.

外卡(名額或選手)