Hello.

I started playing this game recently. I don't play to show off and don't upload videos but optimizing problems with a better solution is a big aspect of the game.

That's where I'm lost. What is a good solution? Let's take imaginary numbers.

Let's say the majority (top of pyramid in the score graphic) has 300 cycles and 30 symbols. Obviously 200 cycles and 20 symbols is better. But, the more optimized it is, the harder it is to improve. I mean, it would be easy to go from 300 to 200 but almost impossible from 200 to 100.

I'm new and maybe I'll learn better later but, it seems that at a point, you can only trade cycles for symbols or the opposite. So, to take my imaginary example, instead of 200 cycles and 20 symbols, I would get a solution with 190 cycles and 22 symbols, 0r 250 cycles and 17 symbols (random numbers).

I'm not an engineer but I'm almost certain that in life, the complexity (cost, heat, etc...) matters. So I would consider a solution with 150 cycles and 40 symbols a bad one (or 400 cycles and 15 symbols). Usually I aim to for a low end average on both.

But the graphic is... weird? It shows the lowest numbers, but they can be on different runs. In my example, let's say the lowest part of the graph would be 100 cycles and 10 symbols, but it doesn't mean it was on the same run, it could be one with 100 cycles (and high symbols) and another with high cycles (and low symbols).

So I ask again, what is a good solution? Is it worth sacrificing cycles or symbols, for the other? Would 150 cycles and 30 symbols be considered better than 200 and 20? Are less cycles better no matter what? Is there an objective reference or is it personal preference?

It's hard to look for better solutions, when you don't even know what you're supposed to aim for :)
I suppose I'm not the only one wondering about this?

Anyway, thanks in advance and have a nice day

Regards