DITLOID Trivia Game

Introduction

Have you heard about DITLOID? A DITLOID is a word puzzle in which a phrase, quotation, date or fact must be deduced from the numbers and abbreviated letters in the clue. E.g. Clue: 88 K on a P? Answer: 88 Keys on a Piano. They are brain teasers, some are obvious while others you will slap your head and say, “ooh….” after the answer is revealed. There are thousands of them today while more are being created. You can find these online or in the days of our ancestors on printed paper, newspapers, magazines and puzzle books. I remember seeing them used at day and summer camps; an activity to keep the kids busy during the rain.

Will Shortz originated the puzzle and first published it in the May–June 1981 issue of Games magazine, calling it the Equation Analysis Test.

William Hartston coined the phrase; 1 Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (DITLOID) in 1999. Giving a memorable name to this word puzzle.

I thought it was time to have a physical DITLOID game. A game to play with a group of people or by oneself as a memory speed exercise.

Let’s get cracking on how to make a DITLOID - FYI trivia game. 

Next Supplies &Tools

Supplies:

1) Timer,

2) Card stock (pre-cut or not),

3) 10 x 13 Envelop (you can use anything to contain the game),

4) Tape.

Tools:

1) Computer, Printer,

2) List of DITLOIDs,

3) Scissor or Paper cutter,

Next List of DITLOIDs.

Search the Internet, create your own DITLOIDs to make a list. The list can be as many as you want. There are many to choose from. Remember whatever DITLOIDs you choose, you should have supporting information - "FYI" . The FYI helps make the DITLOID - FYI game more interesting.

I collected more than 500, edited the list, created the Backwards clue, a HINT and the FYI.

Add your DIDLOID information to the blank DITLOID template, I provided, this template will save you some work and time in creating your cards.

Next DIDLOID - FYI Game Cards.

Once you have the list, print and cut the card stock in half.

Next DITLOID - FYI Holder.

I cut the DITLOID holder out of a 10 x 13 envelop, then tape along the cut edge (See Red Box).

I wanted something big enough to hold many cards with a flap to contain the game. The holder can be anything you want to use. I considered a tie box, rubber band, a money pouch, until I decided to keep it simple.

Next DITLOID - FYI Rules.

Here are the rules I created for the DITLOID - FYI game. I printed the rules on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. Copy the below instructions and paste onto a Word docx.

DITLOID – FYI Rules:

This game is a trivia answer game.

Ages: 8 to 108 – Players: 2+ players or teams.

CATEGORIES:

Math, Idiom, Religion, Literature, Musical, Film, Science, Measurement, People, Object, Biblical, Sports, Game, Geography, History, Song, Biology

OBJECTIVE:

Identify as many DITLOIDs in 2 mins.

DITLOIDs can be displayed with or without an equal symbol, “88 = K on a P / 88 K on a P”.

The Backward Clue will be displayed in the same way as the forward Clue, “P a no K = 88 / P a no K 88”.

EQUIPMENT:

DITLOID - FYI game cards,

Timer,

Pencil and Paper (For scoring or aiding the guesser by writing the clue down.)

SETUP:

Choose how the game will be played, individuals or team. Slide a DITLOID game card into view. Read the DITLOID clue, start the timer.

GAMEPLAY:

A non-participant reads the DITLOID clue, the timer is started. You have 2 mins to answer as many DITLOID clues in that time. The player answers the clue. If the player doesn’t know the answer, they can say PASS or HINT. If the player says HINT, the hint is read, the player gives their answer or says PASS. The next DITLOID clue is read. The round continues until the timer runs out. The points are tallied.

To earn point(s) the answer must be given as displayed on the card. See OBJECTIVE.

At the beginning of a round, the player can request the DITLOID clue be read Backward. The DITLOID clues, for those 2 mins, will be read backwards.

After the timer runs out, the clue reader can review the FYI of the DITLOIDs answered.

WINING THE GAME:

Score 2 points for correct answer without using a HINT, 1 point using HINT (the player loses a point if they ask for the HINT), 3 points collected when DITLOID clue is read BACKWARDS and answered correctly. The winner is the one or team who has the most points.

VARIATION:

Bonus points can be awarded for giving supporting answers. Before the clue is read the player is made aware that there are Extra Points “Available”. After the clue is read and answered, the player can choose to answer for extra points or guess the next DITLOID. The player only has 2 minutes to answer before their turn is over. They risks using extra time for extra points vs answering more clues worth 2 points each. They will receive 1 point for each correct supporting answer.

Example:

Clue: 8 P in the SS,

Answer: 8 Planets in the Solar System,

Possible Extra Points: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. 

Potentially, 10 points could be awarded.

Next Observations & Summary

Observations

I like trivia games. My test groups had fun playing the DITLOID – FYI game because some of the clues were not familiar to them, others thought the timer made the game more challenging. Some thought the answers were too obscure. Isn’t that what makes a trivia game, to be challenged and have fun? Make your own DITLOID – FYI game.

 Summary

I am satisfied with the DITLOID – FYI game.