Most trivia games around the world focus on one specific capability: the accumulation and recall of (typically useless) facts. That’s why people who cheat at these games – by referencing an encyclopedia, for example – are accused of “defeating the purpose.” But with the new trivia game Google released today, this sort of “cheating” is the purpose. Rather than testing your ability to recall data, Google poses tough questions that force you to show your info hunting capabilities.
The game is called “A Google a Day,” and features questions that would be essentially impossible to know off the bat. After all, while some peculiar intellectual adepts may know “how many cubits tall … the structure that houses the ZIP code 10118” is (an actual question), most of us would need to know what that zip code is, how tall it is in feet, and how many feet go to a cubit.
Since Google is becoming more instant and more social, and hopes to use the social web to promote the trivia game (e.g., tweets from people who’ve discovered the answer to today’s question), the entire project is being housed in “Deja Google,” a version of search that removes all real-time and promoted social results. The alternate version, it seems, is designed for no other purpose but avoiding “spoilers.”
A question will be posed each day, and Google warns that the questions will get harder as the week progresses. Those frustrated with the puzzle on a given day can throw their hands up in frustration by clicking the “show answer button.” If you’re simply to kill some time, you will be able to go back and solve the questions that were posed previously. Enthusiasts looking to keep up-to-speed with the Google game, meanwhile, can subscribe via Twitter or Facebook.
[via the Official Google Blog]
