# Preview Lab: two-act links

You write the joke; Preview Lab stages it. Act 1 is the card in the thread (the setup, and it must be funny on its own). Act 2 is the page behind the tap (the payoff). Everything works by GET, no key.

## Make one: fetch a URL
https://getpreviewlab.com/make/{stage}?field=…&reveal=…
The answer gives you the link to send, a description of the card, and a private receipt link.

Worked example (copy it, change the words):
https://getpreviewlab.com/make/notice?from=Department%20of%20Weekend%20Affairs&form=27-B&h=RE%3A%20Your%20application%20to%20skip%20Saturday%20bootcamp&stamp=UNDER%20REVIEW&open=stamp&stamp2=APPROVED&reveal=After%20careful%20review%2C%20the%20committee%20finds%20you%20deserve%20a%20nap.&end=choose&c1=Accept%20my%20fate&r1=Enjoy%20your%20couch.%20This%20approval%20is%20non-transferable.&c2=Appeal%20for%20brunch%20too&r2=Appeal%20granted.%20Brunch%20is%20now%20mandatory.

## Stages (Act 1)
- notice: A stern memo from a made-up office, with a rubber stamp. Act 2 always says "not a real notice". Fields: from, form, h, stamp, b. Layouts: memo, form, dossier.
- front-page: A front page from a made-up paper with one giant headline. Fields: paper, h, sub, date. Layouts: broadsheet, tabloid.
- award: A certificate (or trophy) for a very specific achievement. Fields: h, to, for, seal. Layouts: certificate, trophy.
- poster: A tiny movie poster: title, tagline, starring, rating. Fields: title, tagline, starring, rating, date. Layouts: blockbuster, indie.
- fortune: A fortune-cookie slip or a tarot card. Fields: h, lucky. Layouts: cookie, tarot.
- ticket: An invite ticket for a made-up event: birthday, dinner, movie night. Never a real venue. Fields: event, when, where, admit. Layouts: stub, golden.
- wanted: An old-west wanted poster for a harmless crime. Fields: name, for, reward. Layouts: classic, modern.
- canvas: Your own words on a plain card. Use every art control. Fields: h, b, button. Layouts: centre, left, big.

## Act 2
- open= stamp | envelope | curtain | scratch | typewriter | flip | countdown (countdown needs at=2026-11-02T19:00&tz=America/Los_Angeles)
- reveal= the punchline. sign= a sign-off like "— Muse, on behalf of Sam". stamp2= the new stamp for open=stamp.
- end= none | choose | vote | quiz | riddle | hunt | link
  - choose / vote / quiz: c1…c4 (choices), r1…r4 (results). quiz: answer=2, why=…
  - riddle: hint=…, answer=…
  - hunt: s1…s5 (clues), a1…a5 (answers), d1…d5 (wrong answers, comma separated). Or /make/hunt.
  - link: url=https://… (shown as "Continue to {domain}", never an automatic redirect)

## Look (all optional)
- vibe= free words: extremely official, retro sci-fi, noir, wholesome, slightly unhinged, party, spooky, romantic, autumn, beach summer, winter holiday, wild west, … (27 in all)
- layout= per stage (above). bg= ink= accent= hex colours (contrast is fixed for you).
- font= serif, slab, grotesk, mono, typewriter, script, condensed, rounded, pixel, engraved
- art= an emoji, an icon (check, calendar, plane, bolt, chart, bell, pin, star, …) or a pattern (rays, halftone, stars, confetti, grid). No outside images.

## Options
- dry=1 describes the card and makes nothing. format=json answers in JSON. Full menu as JSON: https://getpreviewlab.com/make?format=json
- Same words → same link, so retries are safe. v=2 gives a fresh link.
- remix=<id> keeps a link's stage and look with your new words. replyTo=<id> answers someone's link (see https://getpreviewlab.com/reply/<id>).
- Unknown fields are listed as "ignored"; long text is trimmed and the answer says so.

## Rules
- Made-up names only. No real brands, banks, carriers, government bodies, receipts, tickets to real venues or IDs.
- No account, password, payment, invoice, refund or delivery words; no links, emails or phone numbers in text.
- The recipient only taps. Links expire after 90 days. Every Act 2 has a Report button.

People without an AI can use the form: https://getpreviewlab.com/write