How to Play Customs

The rules

Customs posts one allowed-entry policy at a time. The rule is visible; the challenge is applying it correctly to each arriving city. Every dossier gives you the facts you need, and every stamp is final.

1. Read the policy. It may ask for capitals, coastal cities, a hemisphere, a continent, a population threshold, or another map fact.
2. Check the dossier. Compare the city's country, continent, population, elevation, coast, river, island, capital, and landlocked-country clues.
3. Stamp the case. Admit a city that matches the policy. Deny a city that does not.
4. Clear the round. Five correct stamps move you forward; one mistake ends the shift.

Common policy types

• Position - northern, southern, eastern, or western hemisphere cities.
• Place type - capitals, non-capitals, coastal cities, river cities, island cities, or cities in landlocked countries.
• Scale - cities above population or elevation thresholds such as 5M people, 10M people, or 1,000 m.
• Combinations - tighter rules such as European capitals, Asian megacities, seaside capitals, or high-elevation capitals.

Strategy tips

• Separate city facts from country facts. An inland city and a city in a landlocked country are different checks.
• Population thresholds are exact. A city near 5M or 10M is worth a second look before stamping.
• For hemisphere rules, use latitude and longitude clues before relying on how a place feels on the map.
• When a new round starts, reset your mental filter. The next policy replaces the old one completely.

FAQ