The Challenge Factory discussion

Challenge Duration: January 29, 2025 through February 16, 2026

This challenge will run during the Chinese dates of the Year of the Snake. Books must be started by February 16, 2026 to count.
There are seven prompts, each with five possible tasks. None of the tasks will be spell outs. Books should be at least 140 pages. Choose your level of participation:


Levels:
Snake Scale - a defensive body part that protects the snake. I'll try 1-2 tasks per level (please specify which).
Snake Forked Tongue - allows snakes to detect the "scent" of their prey, as well as navigate and find mates. Sign me up for 3-4 tasks per level (please specify which).
Snake Fangs - some snakes' weapon: most venomous snakes have grooved or hollow fangs for delivering venom. I'll go for all 5 tasks per level.

2025 The Year of the Snake
Duration - January 29, 2025 through February 16, 2026



Long ago in China the Jade Emperor decided there should be a way of measuring time. On his birthday he told the animals that there was to be a swimming race. The first twelve animals across the fast flowing river would be the winners and they would each have a year of the zodiac named after them. After the first five animals (rat, ox,tiger, rabbit and dragon) finished the race the Emperor heard was the sound of the horse’s hooves. He thought the horse would be the next animal to arrive but a sneaky snake wriggled out from around one of the horse’s hooves. The horse was so surprised that he jumped backwards giving the snake a chance to take the sixth place in the race.

Set 1 Tasks:
1. Read a book where the MC celebrates a birthday.
2. Read a book with a sneaky character.
3. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word SNAKE.
4. Read a book where a character participates in a race or other kind of competition.
5. Read a book that is the 6th in a series.

Set 1 Tasks:
★1. Read a book where the MC celebrates a birthday.
All the Dust that Falls 3 5/2
★2. Read a book with a sneaky character.
How to Betray a Dragon's Hero 2/2
★3. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word SNAKE.
Yesterday Crumb and the Tea Witch's Secret: Book 3: Andy Sagar 13/2
★4. Read a book where a character participates in a race or other kind of competition.
The Ogre of Oglefort 6/2
★5. Read a book that is the 6th in a series.
Chronicles of an Aristocrat Reborn in Another World (Manga) Vol. 6 15/2

The Snake is the sixth animal in the zodiac, and is synonymous with wisdom, elegance, and intuition. People born in Snake years (e.g., 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025) are often perceived as intelligent, resourceful, and graceful. They thrive on analyzing situations and making calculated moves, embodying a quiet but potent strength. Some famous people born in Snake years are Mahatma Gandhi, Pablo Picasso, Mao Zedong, John F. Kennedy, Anne Frank, Bob Dylan, Xi Jinping, J.K. Rowling and Taylor Swift.

Set 2 Tasks:
1. Read a book published in a Snake year.
2. Read a book with a MC who is intelligent and resourceful.
3. Read a book with a very strong character, either in body or mind.
4. Read a book whose title begins with a letter in the word WISDOM.
5. Read a book whose author's first and last initials match one of the famous Snakes listed above (in either order, so MG or GM for Mahatma Gandhi).

Set 2 Tasks:
★1. Read a book published in a Snake year.1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Pure Dead Magic 22/2 2001
★2. Read a book with a MC who is intelligent and resourceful.
All the Dust that Falls 4 19/2
★3. Read a book with a very strong character, either in body or
mind.
Best Mate 17/2 Champion race winner
★4. Read a book whose title begins with a letter in the word WISDOM.
死役所 1 Shiyakusho 1 18/2
★5. Read a book whose author's first and last initials match one of the famous Snakes listed above (in either order). Mahatma Gandhi, Pablo Picasso, Mao Zedong, John F. Kennedy, Anne Frank, Bob Dylan, Xi Jinping, J.K. Rowling and Taylor Swift
Eye of Obscurance: Jeffrey L. Kohanek 5/3

Snakes are deep thinkers who tend to approach life with a calm and measured demeanor. They possess a natural charm and magnetism, making them both intriguing and attractive to others. With a keen sense of intuition, Snake individuals are adept at understanding people and situations, often seeing beneath the surface to uncover hidden truths.

Snakes are also known for their resourcefulness and ability to navigate complex situations. They prefer to observe and analyze before making decisions, which allows them to move through life with a sense of purpose and direction. However, this introspective nature can sometimes make them appear secretive or distant to others, as they often keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves.

Set 3 Tasks:
1. Read a book with a magnetic character.
2. Read a book whose title or series name begins with a letter in the word CHARM.
3. Read a book with a MC who analyzes a situation carefully before acting.
4. Read a book where a character keeps a secret.
5. Read a book that has the surface of a lake or other body of water on it.

Set 3 Tasks:
★1. Read a book with a magnetic character.
Heretical Fishing 2 13/3
★2. Read a book whose title or series name begins with a letter in the word CHARM.
How to Survive Without Grown-Ups 6/3
★3. Read a book with a MC who analyzes a situation carefully before acting.
How to Survive The Future 6/3
★4. Read a book where a character keeps a secret.
How to Survive Time Travel 6/3
★5. Read a book that has the surface of a lake or other body of water on it.
Heretical Fishing 10/3

The Element of Wood in 2025

Each Chinese Zodiac year is influenced by one of the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. 2025 is governed by Wood, which softens the Snake’s typically reserved nature, infusing it with creativity, compassion, and a thirst for growth.

What Wood Brings to the Snake:

Flexibility and Adaptability: Wood adds an element of growth and expansion, encouraging adaptability in challenges.

Creative Problem-Solving: This year is ideal for innovation, whether in personal projects, professional goals, or relationships.

Focus on Harmony: Wood Snake years emphasize fostering better relationships and improving communication skills.

Strategic Growth: Success will favor those who plan meticulously and act wisely.

Deepening Connections: Introspection and emotional intelligence will help navigate relationships, promoting empathy and understanding.

Set 4 Tasks:
1. Read a book where a character does something with wood.
2. Read a book from an expansive series (more than 15 books).
3. Read a book where the MC improves their communication skills.
4. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word METICULOUS.
5. Read a book with a deeply empathetic and understanding character.

Was struggling with this one as wasn't sure if more than 15 books also included the shorts.

Set 4 Tasks:
★1. Read a book where a character does something with wood.
The Study of Magic 30/3
★2. Read a book from an expansive series (more than 15 books).
Broken Soul 31/3
★3. Read a book where the MC improves their communication skills. The Railway Children 21/3
★4. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word METICULOUS. Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief 14/3
★5. Read a book with a deeply empathetic and understanding character. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH 15/3

I looked at your series, and I think that's a fair use of the "more than 15 books" qualification. There are a LOT of shorts!



Themes of the Year of the Wood Snake

2025 is a year of reflection, recalibration, and renewal, offering a mix of calm energy and intellectual challenges. The Snake’s intuitive wisdom, paired with the nurturing Wood element, creates a time to refine your long-term goals and strengthen personal and professional relationships. It is a year for letting go of what no longer serves you and embracing meaningful change.

Set 5 Tasks:
1. Read a book where the MC makes a long-term goal.
2. Read a book whose cover is calming (your interpretation).
3. Read a book where a character nurtures someone or something.
4. Read a book where the MC makes a meaningful change.
5. Read a book with two of the numbers from 2025 in the page count or publication date.

Set 5 Tasks:
★1. Read a book where the MC makes a long-term goal.
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris 1/4 (dior dress)
★2. Read a book whose cover is calming (your interpretation).
City of Songs 31/3
★3. Read a book where a character nurtures someone or something.
Temporally Out of Order 31/3
★4. Read a book where the MC makes a meaningful change.
High Wizardry 31/3
★5. Read a book with two of the numbers from 2025 in the page count or publication date.
The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 13 1/4 (8/12/2023)

There are many proverbs and idioms related to the snake in the Chinese language. Yan Yan Wang, a lecturer in modern Chinese at the ANU School of Culture, History and Language says 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) which literally means, ‘to draw a snake and add legs’, is one of the most famous.

“It is believed this idiom originated from an ancient Chinese story about a man who tried to improve a drawing of a snake by adding some legs, but this only ruined the artwork,” Wang says.

“The moral of the story? Don’t overdo something or make unnecessary additions that can lead to negative consequences!”

Set 6 Tasks:
1. Read a book where the MC goes too far and ruins something as a result.
2. Read a book where a character draws.
3. Read a book with an image of a snake on the cover.
4. Read a book that contains some kind of moral.
5. Read a book that has a proverb or an idiom in it (idiom examples: it's raining cats and dogs, to be under the weather, piece of cake, spill the beans, bite the bullet, etc....).

I got there eventually :D

Set 6 Tasks:
★1. Read a book where the MC goes too far and ruins something as a result. The Dratsie Dilemma 7/5
★2. Read a book where a character draws. Reckless Road 16/4
★3. Read a book with an image of a snake on the cover.
A Snake's Life 18/5
★4. Read a book that contains some kind of moral.
Allergic 1/4 (one door closes another opens)
★5. Read a book that has a proverb or an idiom in it (idiom examples: it's raining cats and dogs, to be under the weather, piece of cake, spill the beans, bite the bullet, etc....). Audit Team Six (on the same page) p147 13/4

Last one!



2025 is the year of the Wood Snake. The Wood Snake is a charming, intelligent and creative sign, but also secretive, cunning and sometimes ruthless. Mythology recognises the Snake as a creature of healing, which influences the physical body to shift to a more spiritual outlook.
The Year of the Wood Snake is a time for calculated growth, deep connections, and introspection. By aligning with its energy, Snakes can make 2025 a transformative and prosperous year. Whether seeking success, stability, or self-discovery, the wisdom of the Wood Snake will guide it.

Set 7 Tasks:
1. Read a book where a character makes a calculation (does not need to be mathematical).
2. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word INTROSPECTION.
3. Read a book where the MC makes a deep connection with someone else.
4. Read a book where a character goes through a transformation.
5. Read a book where the MC is seeking success in an endeavor.

Wow the initials in introspection got me! It was far more difficult than I expected. This was a nice challenge though :D

Set 7 Tasks:
★1. Read a book where a character makes a calculation (does not need to be mathematical). The Saturdays 23/5
★2. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word INTROSPECTION. The Turtle of Michigan: Naomi Shihab Nye 9/7
★3. Read a book where the MC makes a deep connection with someone else. Bear Creek Christmas 19/5
★4. Read a book where a character goes through a transformation. The Teller of Small Fortunes 23/5
★5. Read a book where the MC is seeking success in an endeavor. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day 18/5

Congratulations!! You completed the Year of the Snake!