I’m sure this is an old comparison, but it struck me that proof of work in the bitcoin context is like a game with the following setup:
1. A game master- sets the rules and adjudicates the winner (in this case the software)
2. The arena where the game is played: a large sandbox filled with brown sand into which is placed one grain of green sand.
3. The players: entities with scoops.
4. The goal: find the green grain of sand
5. Open to as many players as want to join.
6. If the grain of green sand is found too quickly, the game master expands the sandbox (the difficulty adjustment)
This doesn’t extend to two players finding the green grain at the same time.
Anyway, I got a little more clarity by having a physical metaphor to think about.
