Expedition #9 · October 13, 2026
Myanmar's riverbank is the map detail behind the Mekong gem. From this expedition onward the official map rules consolidate territories into their countries; a country's separate flag or language still needs its own category-specific check.
Five original topic guides follow. Each reveal selects one Gem worth 100 km, not the complete Farflung-tier list. Play on farflung.game first if you want to avoid spoilers. Read how to play for the timer and country rules.
Counts below are numbers of accepted answers in the stored daily dataset, not live player percentages. Tiers and eligibility belong to this expedition's game ruling; they are not permanent labels or independently verified current facts about every country.
Prompt 1: Earlier Summer Olympic hosts
Look back to the interwar European Games.
Common: 1 answers · Uncommon: 3 answers · Rare: 11 answers · Elusive: 5 answers · Farflung: 2 answers · 22 accepted
Reveal one selected Gem (100 km)
Netherlands - selected Gem, 100 km.
The Netherlands qualifies through Amsterdam's Summer Games. The category is historical hosting, not the location of a future Games.
One Common alternative in this dataset: France (40 km). Its score is 60 km below the selected Gem; this is not a claim about how many players chose either answer.
Prompt 2: Small crescents inside heraldry
Inspect the shield and crown rather than only the main flag field.
Common: 1 answers · Uncommon: 1 answers · Rare: 6 answers · Elusive: 11 answers · Farflung: 2 answers · 21 accepted
Reveal one selected Gem (100 km)
Croatia - selected Gem, 100 km.
Croatia's qualifying crescent is within the coat of arms. A small emblem detail can matter even when the flag is best remembered as a tricolour.
One Common alternative in this dataset: Turkey (40 km). Its score is 60 km below the selected Gem; this is not a claim about how many players chose either answer.
Prompt 3: A Mekong bank is enough
A river that marks a border can count without crossing a country's interior.
Common: 1 answers · Uncommon: 2 answers · Rare: 1 answers · Elusive: 1 answers · Farflung: 1 answers · 6 accepted
Reveal one selected Gem (100 km)
Myanmar - selected Gem, 100 km.
Myanmar qualifies along the Mekong boundary with Laos. The river authority's navigation map marks the stretch between the China and Thailand tripoints.
Fact reference: Mekong River Commission: Lao river navigation map.
Prompt 4: A matching capital initial
The best-known city is not always the capital name that makes the match.
Common: 1 answers · Uncommon: 0 answers · Rare: 16 answers · Elusive: 17 answers · Farflung: 1 answers · 35 accepted
Reveal one selected Gem (100 km)
Sri Lanka - selected Gem, 100 km.
Sri Lanka matches with Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Remembering Colombo alone hides the letter connection used by this card.
One Common alternative in this dataset: Mexico (40 km). Its score is 60 km below the selected Gem; this is not a claim about how many players chose either answer.
Prompt 5: A small imperial concession
The accepted area need not have been in central Europe.
Common: 2 answers · Uncommon: 1 answers · Rare: 5 answers · Elusive: 5 answers · Farflung: 1 answers · 14 accepted
Reveal one selected Gem (100 km)
China - selected Gem, 100 km.
China is accepted through the former Austro-Hungarian concession in Tianjin. This is a limited historical enclave, not a claim that China as a whole was part of the empire.
One Common alternative in this dataset: Austria (40 km). Its score is 60 km below the selected Gem; this is not a claim about how many players chose either answer.
Game-data source: public day file for 2026-10-13. Topics, hints and explanations are original editorial notes. The complete accepted list and official commentary stay with the game. See rarity and scoring for all five tiers.