Every desk looks identical until you check it. Tap once to check — this reveals whether it's occupied, has someone's belongings on it, or is genuinely free, and (if it's not occupied) a number showing how many occupied desks are touching it, same as classic Minesweeper. Checking costs a couple of seconds but never costs you the desk.
Tap an already-checked desk a second time to actually sit down. If it had belongings on it, or you get unlucky on a free one, you'll meet its owner: Back Down always fails and costs the most time, Push Back is a moderate risk, and Honest is fast and cathartic but least likely to work.
One desk per round is marked ✨ once checked — worth extra points if you can claim it.