Today we crossed the 100,000 views threshold. To be perfectly honest, the blog has far surpassed what I ever thought it could do. In honor of the mark, we have a special game.
Growing up, I was a huge game show fan. I watched shows like, “Press Your Luck” (no whammies!), “The Price Is Right”, “Win, Lose or Draw”, and the “$100,000 Pyramid“. Actually, I watched reruns of the “$10,000 Pyramid”, and saw it’s mighty climb all the way to the hundred grand.
Dick Clark was my favorite host, though John Davidson & Donny Osmond hosted the latter years of the game show. Each show paired a random contestant with a celebrity (I use that term loosely). Their goal was to give clues to get the other person to say a word. They could use gestures in the initial round, but they were actually restrained in the final round. In addition, they could not say anything that rhymes with the word or any form or part of the word.
PREP TIME–Â 10-45 Minutes
ITEMS NEEDED– 2 Chairs, 6 Large Sheets of Poster Board (you can use a vide screen too), Dramatic Music & Countdown Clock
GAME TIME–Â 2-5 Minutes
PARTICIPANTS– 2 Participants per Game
INSTRUCTIONS
First off, you will need to come up with a list of phrases. It might help to watch a video clip or two of the game show if you are not familiar with the show. Here is a list of $100,000 Pyramid Clues, but feel free to make your own.
Once you have your questions, you can either write them on poster board (large so everyone can see) or you can project them onto a screen. Make sure that only the clue giver and audience can see the clue. The guesser will be facing the audience, with their back to the clues.
If the clue giver gives says something that is against the rules, that clue is passed and they must move to the next round. Teams have sixty seconds to get the six clues. Give them a practice clue just to make sure they have a feel for the game.
Extended Version:
I recommend doing one to three rounds with different contestants if you are having it during a regular night. If you are hosting a game night, feel free to play the entire version of he game. This requires two teams of two, playing three thirty-second rounds each (you choose categories), with a maximum of seven points per round. Twenty-one would be a perfect score. In the case of a tie, they play a three point round to see who can get the most points fastest.
BONUS TIPS
1. Make sure the countdown clock is visible to the clue giver and the audience. Without a clock, the game is far less suspenseful.
2. If possible, dim the lights. It’s much easier to do if you put the clue on the video screen. No matter what you do, make sure to do a dry run. Maybe test it out before with some leaders who won’t be participating.
3. This game is actually much more difficult than it seems. In fact, seemingly easy clues may provide a greater struggle than you think. It’s always wise to test out the clues on a few people beforehand. That way you can pick clues that are challenging, but not impossible.
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