EXPLAINER: The meticulous path to ideal Olympic curling ice

An Olympic ice maker holds a pebble head covered with water droplets used for making the curling sheet ice surface during a women's round robin curling match at the Beijing Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Sweden's Sara Mcmanus slides her fingers on the ice after throwing a rock during a women's curling match against Canada at the Beijing Winter Olympics Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Pebbled ice is illuminated before the mixed doubles curling match at the Beijing Winter Olympics Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

The monitors showing the ice system during the men's curling matches, at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)