Measuring Questions
Measuring questions follow the format, “compared to me, are you closer to or further from _____?” Valid answers are closer and further. Hiders have five minutes to answer. These questions are also universally useful, and good for slicing the map in unique and clever ways. It is important to note that if locations are not within a map’s boundaries, players must operate as if they do not exist. For example, if seekers asked if they were closer to or further from an international border than the hider, but there were no international borders in the map’s boundaries, it would return a null answer (null answers count as answered questions, and hiders get to draw cards.)
After a measuring question has been answered, the hider may draw 3 cards and keep 1.
Here are two little diagrams to help illustrate how measuring questions can work:
These are the measuring questions available to the seekers:
Transit-Related
Section titled “Transit-Related”Commercial Airport
Section titled “Commercial Airport”If there is any ambiguity, an airport is considered commercial if you can view flights to/from it via Google Flights (flights.google.com).
High-Speed Train Line
Section titled “High-Speed Train Line”Different countries sometimes have different definitions of high speed rail, so it is worth using whatever definition is locally applicable. Otherwise, we recommend following the EU definition. Minimum speed of 250 km/h (155mph) on lines specially built for high speed and of about 200km/h (124mph) on existing lines which have been specially upgraded.
Rail Station
Section titled “Rail Station”Includes light and heavy rail, metros/subways count.
Borders
Section titled “Borders”International Border
Section titled “International Border”Enclaves count!
1st Administrative Division Border
Section titled “1st Administrative Division Border”This is a border between the biggest formal category of division. For the US, it would be states, In Switzerland, cantons. In Japan, prefectures.
2nd Administrative Division Border
Section titled “2nd Administrative Division Border”This is a border between the next level of division. In the US, this is counties. In Switzerland, districts. In Japan, subprefectures.
Natural
Section titled “Natural”Sea Level
Section titled “Sea Level”This refers to a player’s altitude.
You can find this using your phone’s compass. Fair warning: sometimes the compass is wrong, so don’t rely too heavily on this being 100% accurate.
Body of Water
Section titled “Body of Water”Any named body of water on your maps app, excluding pools.
Coastline
Section titled “Coastline”Okay, so: defining where a coastline begins is a famously difficult geographical question. Here is the definition we have developed — we’re not saying it’s perfect, but at least it is objective.
For our purposes, a coastline is defined as any place where land meets either the ocean, a great lake, or a body of water that flows directly into the ocean or great lake via a waterway that is never less than 1 mile (1.61km) across.
You can see this illustrated below:
We recommend you don’t rely on this to be super precise, and that you consult with each other if there’s any weirdness.
Mountain
Section titled “Mountain”Anything correctly classified as a mountain by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.
Anything correctly classified as a park by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon. As noted in the park matching question, this could lead to strangeness. If you are in a large park, a mile from the park icon, you might have to say you are a mile away from any park despite the fact that you are in a park. Nonetheless, we believe measuring to the icon is the cleanest and most objective system.
Places of Interest
Section titled “Places of Interest”Amusement Park
Section titled “Amusement Park”Anything correctly categorized as an amusement park by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.
Anything correctly categorized as a zoo by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.
Aquarium
Section titled “Aquarium”Anything correctly categorized as an aquarium by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.
Golf Course
Section titled “Golf Course”An outdoor golf course. Miniature golf does not count. Driving ranges do not count. Measure distance from the map icon.
We urge seekers to clarify their understanding of what counts when sending this question.
Museum
Section titled “Museum”Anything correctly categorized as a museum by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.
Movie Theater
Section titled “Movie Theater”Anything correctly categorized as a movie theater by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.
Public Utilities
Section titled “Public Utilities”Hospital
Section titled “Hospital”Anything correctly categorized as a hospital by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.
Library
Section titled “Library”Anything correctly categorized as a library by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.
Foreign Consulate
Section titled “Foreign Consulate”Anything correctly categorized as a foreign consulate by your mapping app. Exclude honorary consulates. Measure distance from the map icon.