New Pricing Game Idea: Scrambled Price

[phunguy]

This new game I am thinking of combines the elements of several games - Bonkers, Race Game, Switcheroo and others - into one game.

A four-digit prize such as a trip, room or other type of prize - is shown.  The price is shown but scrambled up.  The numbers are listed from lowest to highest, as shown in this example:

1 3 5 9

The player would get two attempts, timed at 15 seconds.  After the first attempt, if the price is incorrect, that player is shown how many numbers are right, in this example, one:

3 9 5 1

After the second attempt, if the player gets it right, they win the prize.  However, in this example, the player has two numbers right, and then the correct price is shown:

3 9 1 5
3 5 1 9

Comments and critiques, if you please.

[JT]

Pretty Bad (sorry).  You just invented "Two Chances."  And your game is too hard, even if I got 2 numbers right on chance #1, I don't know which two are right so there are still too many possibilities for chance #2.

[Ton80]

I think phunguy meant to say that the player would be shown how many numbers are right AND WHICH ONES THEY ARE, based on his example.  Am I right, phunguy?? 

If that's the case, then the game wouldn't be as difficult on the 2nd chance.  It certainly isn't a horrible idea.  It could be played fairly quickly and is different enough from the other games to make it seem like a new game.  The rules don't seem to be that complicated - "Here's some numbers.  Rearrange them to make the price of the prize."

Now, if I am wrong about my "correction" above, and the player IS NOT shown WHICH numbers are right, then I'd agree with JT.  It would be too hard on the 2nd try, as there are too many possibilities for 4 digit prices.

[phunguy]

They would only be told how many numbers are right.  So, if one number is right, they would have to rearrange the others to get them right.  The "right" numbers were underlined as an example, and in the actual game, they would not be revealed.

[PriceFanArmadillo]

Actually...if you think about it, it's not too bad.  Let's use his example, and say you guess $5193 for your first chance.  You have nothing right...but you can get the first digit pretty certainly.  So we have 3_ _ _...and we know the second digit isn't 1 and the third digit isn't 9.  Lessee, that leaves us...$3519, $3915, and $3951 for possibilities.  Not that hard. 

And that's the worst case, with zero numbers right.

[JT]

The first digit is not always a gimme - look how often they screw up the first digit in Bonkers! 

Also, if the contestant got 2 numbers right on the first shot, it is the same as getting all 4 on the first shot as all they have to do is "flip flop" the wrong numbers.  It is only interesting if they get zero or 1 right.

I do like the Scrambled name though.  Maybe the game can be adapted for 2 or 3 prizes with some overlapping digits like in a crossword puzzle.

[PriceFanArmadillo]

I do like the Scrambled name though.  Maybe the game can be adapted for 2 or 3 prizes with some overlapping digits like in a crossword puzzle.

But isn't that one called Line 'em Up?

[phunguy]

Thank you, Armadillo.  That is Line 'Em Up!