The Wikipedia Game

**Raistlin** · 02-05-2010, 11:57 PM

Laddy's thread reminded me of a very entertaining game we used to play at GHF. This game would get me by on obnoxiously slow work days.

Anyway, the first person (me to start out) posts a random wikipedia article (found by clicking "random article" on the navigation menu) and that becomes the target page. Then, everyone else clicks "random article" as well, and tries to reach the target page from your starting point in as few clicks as possible, and then copy/paste your path here (either open tabs or save each link as you go). Once someone has found a legitimate path to the target page and posted it here, the finder posts a new target article, and the process starts over. What makes it more difficult are a few restrictions:

1. NO back button. If you screw up, you either need to try to go around in a loop (I've done it plenty of times; it's usually not too difficult) or start over with a new random page.

2. NO going to the target page and then clicking "what links here." However, you CAN go to the target page and read it to see what sort of things are mentioned to give you an idea of how to find it.

3. NO using "See Also" or "Category" links at the bottom of the page. The link must be used in the article itself.

4. If a target article is not found within a couple of days of people trying with no success, someone can post a new target article. I don't think I've seen that happen before, though; it's just to keep things moving if you all suck too much.

EDIT: 5. The new target article can be chosen however the finder wishes, whether by another Random Article search or any subject the chooser wishes.

I think those were all the rules we used. Feel free to offer any suggestions.

EDIT: considering this is not just a one-word game, I don't think it should be constrained by the traditional "1 post in 10" rule. Just don't regularly post an answer every-other post. Unless it's really slow.

Anyway, first target article: Lela Rochon. Go!

**I Took the Red Pill** · 02-06-2010, 12:03 AM

Tyler's Ultimate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -> Tyler Florence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -> The Oprah Winfrey Show - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -> Michael Jackson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -> Whitney Houston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -> Waiting to Exhale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -> Lela Rochon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I guess that was pretty

ty but it was my first try so whatev

do I go now or wait to see if someone does it in less clicks?

**Raistlin** · 02-06-2010, 12:25 AM

Go now. Every target page only needs to be found once.

Also, 6 clicks isn't bad. If I remember correctly, 5-6 is pretty average. 8+ or so is a long route, and some can take 12+.

EDIT: Also, you might want to list your links vertically so we can more easily see the route and number of clicks you took.

**Raistlin** · 02-06-2010, 03:02 AM

Well since Red Pill is taking a while and it doesn't really matter who posts a random article, here's the next target: Manus al Aire. Go!

***Psychotic*** · 02-06-2010, 03:48 AM

I assume I start at a random page rather than on Lela Rochon. If this is correct then here's your new target: Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If not, carry on

**Levian** · 02-06-2010, 04:20 AM

T2K - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Medical school - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Human anatomy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Larynx - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

5 clix

Next is....

Dylan (programming language) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Mo-Nercy** · 02-06-2010, 12:41 PM

**Rye** · 02-06-2010, 01:43 PM

I did it!

Toronto Zoo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rouge River (Ontario) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Floodplain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Flood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Venice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Grand Canal (Venice) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

6 clicks!

This one is probably gonna be impossible. xD

Batsheva Katznelson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**qwertysaur** · 02-06-2010, 03:21 PM

Petrova Niva - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ottoman Empire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
List of Ottoman Empire territories - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Palestine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Israel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Knesset - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
List of members of the second Knesset - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Batsheva Katznelson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

8 clicks, not too bad for a tricky one. Random page makes your next target Aechmea gigantea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (I got literally 5 orphan articles before this one to try. (Those are articles that have few to no links to them so they are pretty much impossible to get to with this game) and this one looks to make you cry as well. Good luck )

**Mo-Nercy** · 02-06-2010, 03:41 PM

That one's hard. I gave it a go and I reckon I got pretty close but hit a dead end. I look forward to seeing how someone gets there.

*gives up*

**Rantz** · 02-06-2010, 04:16 PM

**Raistlin** · 02-06-2010, 05:45 PM

Defense Institute of Advanced Technology
India
Christianity
Holy Week
Holy Week procession

Only 4 clicks; that one was easy.

New target: Gordon Lightfoot discography

**I Took the Red Pill** · 02-06-2010, 09:29 PM

C-3-A/B mine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Don Quixote - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gordon Lightfoot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gordon Lightfoot discography - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

new one: Party for Renewal and Redemption - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Værn** · 02-06-2010, 09:57 PM

Direct drive mechanism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Electric motor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Faraday - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Africa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Togo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Politics of Togo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Party for Renewal and Redemption - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Next: Ramius Corporation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Raistlin** · 02-07-2010, 03:35 AM

Ok, this one was a huge pain. It's an apparently insignificant software company in Ottawa, so I first tried the easier route of finding it through Ottawa's wiki page, which even included a helpful link under a "primary industries" section to a list of tech companies. But no go. So then I tried to find it by going through "collaboration software, which eventually worked. Sort of.

I guess I should mention: if it looks like the random link you generate for the next target won't be linked to by anything, go ahead and pick a different one. You can even check the "What links here" page to be sure since you won't be among the ones looking for it.

Mom Chim Huy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cambodia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cold War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Canada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ottawa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
List of technology companies in Ottawa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Canada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Economy of Canada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Best Buy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Computer software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Application software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Collaborative software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
List of collaborative software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (I cheated here, but I'm not sure there was any way else of finding it)
Ramius Corporation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Next target: Matumbi.

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