NOTE:

• Only one repeat pattern for your Calendar, not different intervals for different sticker sets.
  
• You can only use days 1 - 31 on your Calendar. There is no last month or next month.
  
• All stickers must be placed onto the Calendar.

Practical hints:

• There may be more than one Starting Double on your Calendar. You get the same solution whichever one you choose to start with.
  BUT it is usually easier to see the solution if you pick the Starting Double with the shortest gap between the two stickers in the Double.
  
• Sticker sets can be anywhere between 2 and 7 stickers in total, counting together both the sticker/s already on your Calendar at start AND the ones of the same type waiting outside the Calendar.
  
• All the sticker sets for your Calendar will be similar in size.
  (NB. This is new since August, when the 'big sets+small sets' variation was removed).
  
• You are looking for a repeat pattern of somewhere between a 5-day and a 15-day interval.
  Logically: You will need a longish interval if you have small sticker sets with few stickers. And a shortish interval if you have large sticker sets with many stickers.
  And don't forget that the interval has to fit with the gap between the two stickers in your Starting Double, too.
  
• You will often have to place more than one sticker type onto the same day on the Calendar. Especially if you get a Calendar with large sticker sets.
  Make sure that the centre of each sticker is properly inside the date box, otherwise it won't register properly. You can overlap stickers or place them right on top of each other if you need to, to get them all to fit into the date box.
  
  
• Some people solve this by 'doing maths' in their heads, others by counting day-by-day directly on the calendar, others again perhaps by trying out different intervals and just seeing which will fit.
  
• Whatever way you use to solve this, DO make sure that you haven't mis-counted anywhere.
  If your puzzle won't solve, often it is because of a simple mis-count on the Calendar, and not because your thinking was wrong.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
The examples in this chapter (see following section) all follow the same puzzle logic, but have been chosen to show a few different variations you can get, and ways to think about the solution.
If you find you need more detailed step-by-step guidance than you get in this Chapter, then go look at Chapter 3 in this guide.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

• REMEMBER that you are looking for a pattern of somewhere between a 5-day and a 15-day repeat. Nothing longer or shorter than that.
  
  
• To fit all stickers in a set on with equal number of days between them, you will need a long repeat interval if you have small sticker sets, and a short repeat interval if you have large sticker sets.
  
  
• And the repeat interval also has to fit with the 'X days apart' between the two stickers of your Starting Double.
  
  
• Sometimes, you can use that 'X days apart' directly as your repeat for the sticker set.
  For example, the two stickers in your Starting Double may be 13 days apart, and a 13-day repeat also fits as the repeat pattern for the whole sticker set.
  
  
• Or sometimes, that Starting Double 'X days apart' is LONGER than what you need for your repeat pattern to be able to fit all the stickers in your sticker set onto the calendar.
  So then you have to find a shorter repeat interval that will still add up to (or, in mathematical terms, 'factor into') those starting 'X days apart'.
  How short the interval needs to be, depends on how many stickers in total in your sticker set.
  Usually, you will be looking at repeat intervals that are half of your starting 'X days apart', or possibly half of that again (quarters). But occasionally also thirds or fifths.
  
  • FOR EXAMPLE: You may have a Calendar where the two stickers in your Starting Double are placed on 2 and 30, which is 28 days apart. That is an impossible repeat-pattern, since you cannot fit another sticker onto the Calendar with another 28 days between them (the Calendar isn't that long!) So - it has to be shorter.
    
  • But how much shorter?
    That depends on your sticker set! Like this:
    
    • In this example: If you have a Starting Double sticker set of three, then you already have two stickers on the Calendar and only have one sticker left to place.
      So that last one has to go in the middle of the other two stickers - to have them the same distance apart from each other.
      And that gives a repeat pattern of 14-day repeats for that sticker set (half of 28).
      With your stickers placed on 2, 16 and 30. And as you can see, 14 days between each of them.
      And then that same 14-day repeat pattern for all your other sticker sets too.
      
    • BUT perhaps you have a Starting Double sticker set of five, so you have three more stickers to place. That doesn't work with 14-day repeats, because that would add up to much longer than your calendar!
      So it has to be shorter, but still an interval-repeat that will add up to 28 (or in mathematical language: that 28 is divisible by, or a multiple of).
      So, what is divisible into 28 ? Only 14 (which is too long for this sticker set), OR 7. Which is your solution :-)
      With stickers placed on 2,9,16,23 and 30. As you can see, 7 days between each of them.
      And then that same 7-day repeat pattern for all your other sticker sets also.
  
  
• REMEMBER: that the way this puzzle category is constructed, you are looking for a repeat pattern of somewhere between 5-day and 15-day repeats. Nothing larger or smaller than that. So even if your 'X days apart' can be divided by 2 or 3 or 4, those can NOT be your repeats.
  
  
  If you find it difficult to work out the possible repeat patterns from the 'X days apart' of your Starting Double, then take a look at the 'PATTERN TABLE' in Chapter 3. It gives all the possible repeat patterns for all Starting Double 'X days apart'.
  
  
  OK , enough with the text explanations - let's look at some examples...

• See screenshot below.
  
• You have a Starting Double with 2 egg stickers on 1 and 16 = 15 days apart.
  
• A Starting Double spacing of 15 days can give only 2 possible solutions for a whole sticker set:
  a 15-day repeat pattern OR a 5-day repeat pattern (see *note).
  
• Here the egg sticker set has 7 stickers, and that is impossible to fit onto the Calendar if you try with 15-day repeats (the Calendar is not long enough to fit in 7 stickers at 15-day spacings!).
  
• So, it must be the shorter repeat instead. And, as easily as that, you've found your first sticker set repeat pattern:
  it's 5-day spacings for the stickers.

.
SOLUTION for your 5-day repeat pattern:
- Eggs on: 1,6,11,16,21,26,31

AND this repeat-pattern of 5-day spacings is ALSO the solution for the stickers in all your sticker sets. So:
- Pears on: 5,10,15,20,25,30
- Pans on: 4,9,14,19,24,29
- Ladybirds on: 3,8,13,18,23,28
- Red fly on: 4,9,14,19,24,29
- Yellow fly on: 4,9,14,19,24,29
And as you can see, you will have to put different stickers onto the same days, for some of these. That is allowed. Put them right on top of each other if you need to, to fit them all into the date box.

*Note : If you find it difficult to 'see' the possible solutions from the Starting Double spacing, then go take a look at the Pattern Table in Chapter 3.

• See screenshot below.
  
• You have a Starting Double with 2 tomato can stickers on 16 and 31 = 15 days apart.
  
• And that sticker set has only 3 stickers in total.
  
• A Starting Double spacing of 15 days can give only 2 possible solutions for a whole sticker set: a 15-day repeat pattern OR a 5-day repeat pattern (see *note).
  
• Here your sticker set is small, so the repeat must be long, to fit the 3 stickers in the set onto the Calendar with equal number of days between them. So it cannot be the short 5-day pattern (that would not give equal spacings between the 3 stickers. ). So it has to be the longer 15-day repeat that will work for your sticker set.
  
• So, as easily as that, you've found your first sticker set repeat pattern:
  it's 15-day spacings for the stickers.

.
SOLUTION - for 15-day repeat pattern:
- Tomato cans on: 1,16,31

AND this repeat-pattern of 15-day spacings is ALSO the solution for the stickers in all your sticker sets. So:
- Yellow rock on: 3,18
- Red rock on: 9, 24
- Yellow leaf on: 11,26
- Red-green-black rock on: 12, 27
- Books on: 13, 28
- Grey rock on: 15,30
- Bird ornament on : 2,17

*Note : If you find it difficult to 'see' the possible solutions from the Starting Double spacing, then go take a look at the Pattern Table in Chapter 3.

• Look at the screenshot below.
  
• Here you have four Starting Doubles, with a couple of different spacings:
  - pasta on 6 and 18 = 12 days apart
  - plunger on 7 and 31 = 24 days apart
  - sponge on 15 and 27 = 12 days apart
  - bucket on 17 and 29 = 12 days apart
  
• And your sticker sets are all size 2 or 3.
  
• Since we already have spacings here that are shorter than 24 days, we know that it cannot be 24 days. And also, you cannot fit 3 stickers onto the Calendar with 24 days between them (the Calendar is not that long!)
  
• So, look instead at the Starting Double spacing of 12 days apart. This spacing can give only 2 possible solutions for a whole sticker set: a 6-day repeat OR a 12-day repeat pattern (see *note). And here you have a small sticker set of only 3 stickers, so the repeat has to be the longest of the two possibilities.
  
• So, as easily as that, you have found your first sticker set repeat pattern:
  it's 12-day spacings for the stickers.

.
SOLUTION - for 12-day repeat pattern:
- Pasta on: 6,18,30
- Plunger on : 7,19,31
- Sponge on: 3,15,27
- Bucket on: 5,17,29

AND this repeat-pattern of 12-day spacings is ALSO the solution for the stickers in all your sticker sets. So:
- Disc on: 12,24
- Gloves on: 9,21
- Battery on: 10,22
- Snowflake: 11,23

*Note : If you find it difficult to 'see' the possible solutions from the Starting Double spacing, then go take a look at the Pattern Table in Chapter 3.

• Look at the screenshot below.
  
• Here you have three Starting Doubles, all with different spacings:
  - metronomes on 2 and 20 = 18 days apart
  - red U's on 13 and 19 = 6 days apart
  - black triangles on 14 and 26 = 12 days apart
  
• The sticker sets are all 5 and 6 in size.
  
• You cannot fit 5 or 6 stickers onto the Calendar with 18-day or 12-day repeats (the calendar is not long enough for that!).
  
• Also, it cannot be 18-day or 12-day repeats, because you already have a shorter spacing of 6 days for your red U's.
  
• And for a 6-day spacing, there is only one possible pattern for a whole sticker set: 6-day repeats.
  
• So, your Calendar's repeat-pattern is :
  6-day spacings for the stickers, in all your sticker sets.

SOLUTION - for 6-day repeat pattern:
- Metronomes on : 2,8,14,20,26
- Red U's on: 1,7,13,19,25,31
- Black triangles on: 2,8,14,20,26
- Chessmen on 1,7,13,19,25,31.
And as you can see, on this Calendar too, you will have to put different stickers onto some of the same days.
_________
ALTERNATIVE for Example D:
A slightly different way of logically working out your repeat-pattern:
- Starting Double spacing of 18. Can give 2 possible solutions: 6-day OR 9-day repeats.
- Starting Double spacing of 12. Can give 2 possible solutions: 6-day OR 12-day repeats
- Starting Double spacing of 6. Can give only one possible solution: 6-day repeats.
And the only common factor here is the 6-day repeat. So that must be the solution.


- - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTE: Examples C and D here, show how it's usually easiest to find the repeat-pattern for your sticker sets from the Starting Double that has the shortest spacing.

NOTE: Some people find it easier to 'do the maths' in their heads, while others find that it is easiest to count the repeats day-by-day on the Calendar itself.
Whichever way you choose, DO make sure that you haven't mis-counted anywhere!

(*) GENERAL TIP:
If you need help to 'see' what the possible repeat-patterns can be from your Starting Double spacing, then take a look at the Pattern Table in Chapter 3. It shows which Calendar patterns are possible for each Starting spacing.

STEP (1): Find your STARTING DOUBLE and COUNT the days between them

• Look at your starting Calendar, and find the two stickers of the same type (identical icons) already placed on the Calendar from start.
  
• There will always be at least one Starting Double on the Calendar.
  
• For your Starting Double - count how many days there are between those two stickers.
  Example: one sticker on 4 and one on 10, is 6 days apart.
  
• TIP: If you have more than one Starting Double, it is usually easier to see the correct solution if you choose the Starting Double with the shortest gap between the two stickers. But you'll get the same solution, whichever one you choose.

STEP (2): COUNT the NUMBER of stickers in your starting STICKER SET:

• For your Starting Double - count how many stickers in total you have in that sticker set.
  That is: how many stickers in total of the same type (identical icons). Count the ones on the Calendar already PLUS the ones of the same type still waiting to be placed.
  
• Sticker set size will be somewhere from 2 to 7 stickers in a set.

STEP (3): Use the Starting Double spacing to FIND your REPEAT PATTERN

• The X days apart you found for your Starting Double (step 1), decides what kind of repeat-spacing pattern will fit for that whole sticker set. And also for all the rest of the sticker sets on your Calendar.
  
• LIKE THIS:

'Starting Double' X days apart, and the possible repeat patterns that will solve your sticker set, and the rest of the Calendar

• As you can see above, for many of the Starting Double 'X days apart' there is only ONE possible repeat pattern. So then you have your solution straight away.
  
• Where there is more than one possible repeat pattern to choose between for your Starting Double 'X days apart', then it's your sticker set size that decides. Small sticker sets with few stickers will need a longer repeat, big sticker sets with many stickers will need a shorter repeat.
  (And the exact position on the Calendar of the Starting Double can also, occassionally, make a difference.)
  
  
• If you're unsure which of the identified 'possible' repeats to use, just try what seems most likely. You'll quickly see which is the correct one, when you start putting down your stickers in Step (4).
  
  
• And note that the repeat-pattern that fits for your Starting Double sticker set, will ALSO be the same pattern for all your other sticker sets. And give you the solution for your whole Calendar.

STEP (4): PLACE all stickers in your FIRST sticker set
In step 3 you found the possible repeat-pattern that will work for your Starting Double sticker set.

• Start counting from one of your Starting Double stickers on the Calendar. Count forwards in repeat intervals until you reach the end of the calendar, and backwards in repeat intervals until you reach the start of the Calendar. (Just skip over the other Starting Double sticker, when you get to it, and continue counting on in the repeat intervals.)
  
  Example: You've found (for example) a repeat pattern of 5. And on your Calendar you have, for example, a Starting Double with a heart already placed on 10 and on 25, and 4 more hearts waiting to be placed.
  So: count in 5-day intervals forwards from the heart already on 10: gives a heart on 15, a heart on 20, then on 25 there is a heart already, and then a heart on 30. Then count backwards from your starting heart on 10: gives a heart on 5.
  And that way: all 6 hearts placed, and with 5-day repeats between them (5,10,15,20,25,30)

• If you found a Starting Double spacing in previous section, where there were possible alternative repeat patterns, and you were unsure which would fit.
  Then here: try out the repeat you think is most probable, and you'll see quite quickly if you are trying with the correct one, or if you need to choose a longer or shorter repeat from the identified 'possible' ones.
  Find the proper repeat that fits for all the stickers in your 'Starting Double Sticker Set', before you go on to step 5.

STEP (5): PLACE the REST of your STICKER SETS

• Use the same repeat pattern for all your other sticker sets. (The same repeat you found and used in Step 3 and 4).
  
  Example: In previous section, you found (for example) a repeat-pattern of 5. And on your Calendar you have, for example, a bird on 12, and with 5 bird stickers still to place.
  So: count in 5-day intervals forwards from your bird on 12: gives 17, 22 and 27. Place a bird on each of those. Then count backwards from your starting bird on 12: gives 7, and 2. Place a bird on each of those.
  And that way: all 6 birds placed, and with 5-day repeats between them (2,7,12,17,22,27).

Repeat in the same way for each of your remaining sticker sets.
Or you can use 'pattern matching' for the rest of your stickers - look at how to do that in Chapter 4 (this chapter isn't finished yet...)

Place the stickers right on top of each other, if it's difficult to fit them all into the date box. Note that it's the centre of the sticker that defines which day it belongs to.

NOTE: Some people find it easier to do the repeat counting in their heads. Other people find it easier just to count day-by-day on the calendar itself.
Whatever you choose, DO make sure that you haven't miscounted anywhere!

The other chapters in this Guide all describe the 'counting' method of solving the Calendar puzzles.
Some of you may be more familiar with using the 'pattern matching' method for solving these puzzles: the "books 2 days after a rock, birds 1 day before a fish, ..." kind of solving.

Before the Game Update, you would usually need to have placed down one complete sticker set correctly (using 'counting' method) before the rest of the stickers could be placed using the 'matching patterns' method. Although sometimes you could get Calendars where your starting stickers were placed in such a way that it could all be solved purely through pattern matching.

This is still how it works now with the new Calendar variations:
Mostly you will need to get your first complete sticker set placed correctly, and can then place the rest of the stickers using 'pattern matching'.
(And sometimes, you may get a Calendar where the starting stickers are placed in a way that you can solve it all by pattern matching. ?? Still, or has that changed??I need to test it out...)

To get your first complete sticker set placed down correctly, see the 'counting' method sections in Chapters (1-3) in the guide here.
For the remaining stickers, see following examples:

Example A: One starting set placed using counting method




Example B: solved completely by pattern matching

Here are some more examples of different kinds of Calendars.
Hopefully they can help you to understand better the kind of variations we can get for this puzzle category:

EXAMPLE 1


EXAMPLE 2


EXAMPLE 3


EXAMPLE 4