Overview

Countdown Guessing is a fun and engaging game where players test their sense of time. Without any form of communication, each player must rely on their internal clock to guess the passing of a predetermined duration.

Objective

The goal of the game is to be the player who most accurately guesses the elapsed time or to be the last player to raise their hand before the countdown ends.

Setup

1. Players: 5-10 players.
2. Age Limit: 13 and above.
3. Required Items:
   • Stopwatch or countdown timer.
   • A chair for each player (optional, for comfort).

Game Rules

Standard Mode

1. Choosing the Time: The game host selects a specific duration (e.g., 1 minute, 3 minutes).
2. Starting the Timer: The host announces “Go” and starts the countdown.
3. No Communication: Players must not communicate in any way during the game.
4. Indicating Time: Each player raises their hand when they believe the predetermined time has elapsed.
5. Determining the Winner: The player whose guess is closest to the actual time wins the round.

Alternative Mode

1. Choosing the Time: The game host selects a specific duration.
2. Starting the Timer: The host announces “Go” and starts the countdown.
3. No Communication: Players must not communicate in any way during the game.
4. Indicating Time: Players must raise their hand before the timer beeps.
5. Determining the Winner: The last player to raise their hand before the timer beeps wins the round.

How to Play

1. Preparation:
   • The host sets up a countdown timer for the chosen duration.
   • All players sit or stand in a circle facing the host.
2. Starting the Game:
   • The host announces “Go” and starts the timer.
   • Players remain silent and focused on their internal sense of time.
3. During the Game:
   • Players try to gauge when the chosen duration has passed.
   • Each player raises their hand when they believe the time is up (standard mode) or before the timer beeps (alternative mode).
4. Ending the Round:
   • In standard mode, the host notes the time when each player raises their hand.
   • In alternative mode, the host watches to see the last hand raised before the beep.
   • The host announces the closest guess or the last hand raised.
5. Winning:
   • In standard mode, the player closest to the actual time wins.
   • In alternative mode, the last player to raise their hand before the beep wins.
6. Next Round:
   • The game can be played over multiple rounds with different durations each time.
   • The host can change the duration or keep it the same for each round.

Strategy Tips

• Stay calm and focused to maintain an accurate sense of time.
• Practice gauging time intervals to improve your accuracy.
• Pay attention to your own heartbeat or breathing as a natural timer.