Wiki race: how to play the Wikipedia game
A wiki race is a game you play on Wikipedia. You get two articles, a start and a target, and you have to get from one to the other by clicking only the links inside the articles. No search box, no typing an address, no editing. It sounds simple until you are three clicks deep in an article about medieval tax law and the target is a pop song.
People also call it the Wikipedia game, the wiki game or a Wikipedia speedrun. The rules change a little from group to group, but the idea is always the same: every article is connected to every other one, and the fun is in finding the path.
The basic rules
- Pick a start and a target. Choose two articles, or let someone else choose. The further apart they seem, the better the race.
- Only follow links. You may click any link in the body of the article, including links in tables and infoboxes. You may not use the search box or change the address by hand.
- Reach the target. The race ends when the target article is on your screen.
Then decide how to win. In a clicks race, the fewest links wins, so careful players think before every click. In a time race, the first to arrive wins, so speed beats elegance. Some groups also ban the back button or the "Contents" panel to make it harder.
How to win a wiki race
Go broad, then narrow
Most articles link to a few big, general ones: a country, a city, a century, a field of science. Those big articles link to almost everything. A good first move is often to climb to one of them, then come down towards the target.
Think backwards from the target
Before you click anything, ask what the target article would naturally be mentioned in. A footballer appears in the article about their club and their country's national team. A chemical element appears in the periodic table. Work out that last step first, then look for a way to reach it.
Use countries, years and lists
Country articles are hubs, linking to history, culture, sport and famous people. Articles about a single year list the events and births of that year. Lists and timelines are often the shortest bridge between two unrelated subjects.
Read the infobox
The box at the top right of many articles is dense with links: birthplace, occupation, genre, country, predecessor. It is the quickest place to scan for a useful exit.
Skip the dead ends
Disambiguation pages, very short articles and small villages have few links out. If you land on one, go back early rather than digging deeper.
Variations worth trying
- Six Degrees of Wikipedia: reach the target in six clicks or fewer.
- Getting to Philosophy: the target is always the article on Philosophy.
- Daily puzzle: everyone plays the same start and target on the same day, then compares how many links they needed.
- Team race: two players share one screen and take turns choosing the next link.
Playing with friends
The classic way is to open the same two articles on everyone's computer and shout "go". It is easier with a free race room: open one in the browser, send the link, and everyone races on the same pair and sees the standings at the end. On iPhone, Hyperhop goes further: open a room, share its four-letter code and up to three friends race on the same pair, side by side or online. You can also send a challenge from any round, and when your friend finishes you both see each other's routes.