Permutation play happens when a player finds a game has become opaque. Rather than play according to the spirit of the game, the player begins in a kind of busywork where they scan every screen, flick every switch, try every branch of dialogue and so forth until they stumble onto the right combination.
Permutation play is very common in games which try to be subtle, use arcane actions or unfair tests. It should be considered a sign of bad game design.
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