Up or Down

About Up or Down

Up or Down is a guessing game where you try to find the answer to a number question in six tries. After every guess, the phone tells you "Down" or "Up", and the range narrows. You don't need to know the answer in advance; a good first guess and steady narrowing are usually enough.

Who is it for?

It's ideal for trivia fans who get tired of having only one shot at an answer. The hints guide you on every try, so players of different ages can play together. Solo mode is for anyone who wants to bring their record down.

How to play

Online room

1. When you open a room, choose how many questions to play and which pack they come from, then share the code. Everyone plays on their own phone.
2. A question with a number answer appears. You get up to six guesses in 40 seconds.
3. After each guess, the phone says "Down" or "Up". Depending on the question, you need the exact number or a guess within 2 percent.
4. After the last question, the points are added up and the winner of the table is revealed.

Solo

You pick the pack and play ten questions. Each question gives you 40 seconds and six guesses. A question you don't solve counts as seven tries. Your record is the total number of tries over the ten questions: the lower, the better.

Scoring

• On each question, whoever finds the number in the fewest tries gets 3 points, and the next players get 2 and 1. With the same number of tries, the faster player comes first.
• If you don't find the number, you score nothing on that question.
• Questions about years, atomic numbers or bone counts need the exact number. For height, length, area and duration questions, a guess within 2 percent counts.
• A guess that contradicts the earlier hints doesn't use up a try.
• Geography & Landmarks, Sports, Science & Space, Animals & Nature and TV & Film are free. Music, History and Food & Everyday Life are locked.

Tips

• Make your first guess in the middle of the range you have in mind. Every "Down" or "Up" cuts the remaining range in half.
• On year questions, find the century first, then the decade.
• Time can run out before your six tries do, so give each guess in a few seconds.

Example questions

• In what year did the Korean War begin?
• What is the atomic number of mercury?
• How many metacarpal bones are in one human hand?
• In what year was the National Hockey League founded?
• How many minutes long is the film "The Lion King"?

FAQ

How many players?

It's played solo as a ten-question game. An online contest opens with at least two players, and a free room fits eight.

Is it free?

It's free in your browser with five packs and no sign-up. Premium in the app unlocks three more packs.

Do I need a phone?

In an online contest, every player enters their guesses on their own screen. For solo mode, any device with a browser will do.