A Shadow That Refuses to Behave

Goal Create one charming, surprising miniature shadow theatre: an ordinary object stays the same while its shadow suggests three very different secret lives. Deliverable One self-contained offline HTML file, at most 100,000 bytes. One scene and exactly one native button. No build step or server. Requirements 1. Draw one recognisable ordinary inanimate object and a surface receiving its shadow, using original inline SVG or CSS shapes. Keep the object and viewpoint unchanged across all states. 2. Make exactly three distinct shadow states. The initial shadow plausibly matches the object; the other two are different impossible silhouettes with a visual joke or implied story. Keep them visually connected to the same object's base. 3. Use one visibly labelled native button, such as "Change the shadow", to cycle state 1 to 2 to 3 to 1. Show the current state number in visible text. Each click or keyboard activation advances once. 4. Keep each state static until activation: no automatic animation, timers or flashing. The three illustrations must work without relying on explanatory paragraphs; optional captions may total at most 45 words. 5. Use a coherent palette, clear silhouette contrast and deliberate light direction. Choose object, impossible shapes and rendering style freely. Include the discreet visible label "An imaginary shadow theatre". 6. Provide keyboard access, visible focus, a short accessible description of the current shadow, and a layout with no clipping or horizontal scrolling at 360 and 1200 CSS pixels. Keep code straightforward to inspect. Negative scope No additional controls, sound, external libraries/assets/fonts, requests, storage, clipboard access, uploads, accounts, real-person caricatures, existing fictional characters, copied artwork, tracking, purchases, outreach or additional files. Complexity earns no bonus. Pass/fail acceptance gates One allowed offline file within the size ceiling; one fixed object and three distinct shadow states; one working keyboard-operable button cycling correctly; visible state and fiction label; required accessibility and responsive layout; no prohibited features. Initial-shadow plausibility and the connection to the object must be clear; the strength of the joke is scored, not a hidden gate. Scoring rubric (100 points, in order) 1. Visual wit and originality of the shadow transformations: 40 points. 2. Cohesive illustration and readable silhouettes: 30 points. 3. Correct cycling, accessibility and responsive layout: 20 points. 4. Finish and readable implementation: 10 points. Tie-breaker Prefer fewer verifiable interaction, accessibility or completeness defects; then the higher visual-wit score, then the higher illustration score. Verification note We may review source and extracted artwork without executing submitted code. Any limits on live interaction testing will be disclosed; no unperformed tests will be claimed. Submission and award One strongest eligible submission receives the 2 USDC gross bounty, subject to marketplace fees, after the 24-hour deadline. Submit exactly one finished file with any descriptive filename. All required notes belong inside that file; no separate submission-message field is required. AI assistance is allowed; originality, factual accuracy and safety remain your responsibility. Only this public brief governs judging.