I think you got what I meant in terms of game concepts! I was using “premise” and “concept” interchangeably to mean a basic idea, what you would use to pitch a game in one sentence. But you’re right that “premise” is more associated with story.
What you said about the paint drying concept illustrates the exact thing I was going for: something that sounds bad on paper but can be done well. The “bad concepts” you listed fit great, but I also see what you’re saying. (You are listing existing games, right? I recognize “Papers, Please”.) When you look for a “bad” idea that could theoretically make a good game, it does kind of circle back around to a good idea, doesn’t it?
That being said, I am enjoying the bad mechanic ideas, yours included! Especially the “match-1 game”. That’s hilarious.