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Trivial Pursuit
Players	2–36
Age range	15 +
Setup time	5 minutes
Playing time	90 minutes
Random chance	Medium
Skills required	General knowledge, Popular culture

Trivial Pursuit is a board game where progress is determined by a player's ability to answer general knowledge, popular culture questions. The game was made by in 1979 by Scott Abbott, a sports editor for the Canadian Press, and Chris Haney, of Welland, Ontario, a photo editor for the Montreal Gazette. After finding pieces of their Scrabble game missing, they decided to create their own game.^[1] With the help of John Haney and Ed Werner, they completed development of the game, which was released in 1982.^[2] Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links Trivialpursuit. ... Look up Trivia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Popular culture, sometimes called pop culture, consists of widespread cultural elements in any given society. ... A board game is a game played with counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a board (a premarked surface, usually specific to that game). ... Look up Trivia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Popular culture, sometimes called pop culture, consists of widespread cultural elements in any given society. ... The Canadian Press (CP) is a Canadian news agency established in 1917 as a vehicle to permit Canadian newspapers of the day to exchange their news and information. ... Welland (formally The Corporation of City of Welland; 2001 population 48,402) is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Ontario, Canada. ... The Gazette is a major English-language daily newspaper produced out of Montreal, Quebec. ... The verb to scrabble also means to scratch, scramble or scrape about: see Wiktionary:scrabble. ...

In North America, the game's popularity peaked in 1984, a year in which over 20 million games were sold. The rights to the game were licensed to Parker Brothers (now part of Hasbro) in 1988, after initially being turned down by Richard Branson's Virgin Group. As of 2004, nearly 88 million games had been sold in 26 countries and 17 languages. Northern Plastics of Elroy, Wisconsin produced 30,000,000 games between 1983 and 1985. North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... The Parker Brothers logo. ... Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) is an American toy and game company. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... The Virgin Group Ltd is a group of separately run companies that each use Virgin brand of English celebrity business tycoon Sir Richard Branson. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Elroy is a city located in Juneau County, Wisconsin. ...

Dozens of question sets have been released for the game. The question cards are organized into themes -- for instance, in the standard "Genus" question set, questions in green are about "science and nature." Some question sets have been designed for younger players and others for a specific time period or as promotional tie-ins for pop culture (such as Star Wars, Saturday Night Live, and The Lord of the Rings movies). Most recently, ODVD, the makers of "Shout About Movies", created the Trivial Pursuit: Totally On-Screen DVD game, which puts the game board on screen for a faster-paced game with more head-to-head competition, video clips, and music. Scale model of a Wheaties cereal box at a pep rally Promotion is one of the four aspects of marketing. ... Star Wars is an epic science fantasy saga and fictional universe created by George Lucas during the late 1970s. ... Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a weekly late night 90 minute American comedy-variety show based in New York City that has been broadcast live by NBC on Saturday nights since October 11, 1975. ... The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel written by the English academic J. R. R. Tolkien. ... Shout About Movies, a game by ODVD, is a movie trivia DVD game played entirely on a television. ...

Rules

The object of the game is to move along the circular track and the spokes by correctly answering questions and trying to collect colored wedges (also known informally as "cheese" or "pie" because of their shape) for correct answers in each of the six category "headquarters" located at the base of each spoke. To win, a player (or team) returns to the hexagonal hub and correctly answers the game-winning question in a category chosen by the other players.

Before the game begins, each player selects one token and six colored scoring wedges in each of the six category colors. Each player rolls the die to see who will go first. All players start at the hexagonal hub at the center of the board and move down one of the spokes and out onto the circular track. Play moves in either direction along the track.

On a player's first turn, the player rolls the die and selects which color/category on which s/he wants to land and down which of the six spokes s/he will move. If a six is rolled, s/he will immediately land on a category headquarters and try for a scoring wedge of that color.

The color on which a player's piece lands determines the category of the question to be asked by another player. The questioning player draws a card from either one of the card boxes, and the question is read next to the appropriately colored dot. Answers are on the reverse side of each card. When done with the question, the card is placed in the back of its box, behind the other cards.

If the player answers his/her first question correctly, his/her turn continues by rolling the die again and moving that number of spaces.

On each roll of the die, the player may select which direction s/he wants to move along the track as s/he attempts to move toward category headquarters to try for scoring wedges in each of the six colors. A player may not move both forward and backward in the same move. The player must always move the number of spaces shown on the die. If the player answers a question incorrectly, the play passes to the player on his/her left.

On subsequent turns, when the player answers a category headquarters question correctly, s/he puts that colored wedge into his/her token. If s/he answers incorrectly, on his/her next turn, s/he must move out of that category headquarters for a turn before reentering and trying again for that color piece. The player does not have to try that same category immediately; s/he may move elsewhere on the board and return to it later.

There are 12 "roll again" spaces on the track. If the player lands on one, s/he continues his/her turn by rolling the die and moving again.

Any number of tokens may occupy the same space at the same time.

A player may cut across the board by moving his/her token up the spokes to the center hub and out again, moving either straight across the hub, or by changing direction and going down another spoke. If s/he lands in the hub by exact count but cannot try to win the game because s/he does not have color wedges in all six colors, that space is treated as a "wild card," and the player may choose any category s/he wants for his/her question.

Once a player has collected one scoring wedge in each color, s/he makes his/her way toward the hexagonal hub and tries to answer the game-winning question. S/he must land in the hub by exact count. If s/he overshoots the hub, s/he picks the spoke s/he wants to move down and answers the question in the category on which s/he lands; then, on his/her next move, s/he attempts to land on the hub by exact count.

Once a player lands on the hub, the other players select the category of the game-winning question from the next card in the card box. The players must select the category first and then draw the next card and read the question for the category. There has been some confusion about this rule where players think they should read all the questions on the card first and then picked the category they feel has the most challenging question for the other player to answer. This is mostly the result of some vague instructions in later versions of Trivial Pursuit. However, the instructions for the first Genus version clearly state that the players must pick the category first before drawing the card and reading the question.

If the player answers correctly, the game is won. If it is answered incorrectly, the player must leave the hub on the next turn and re-enter it for another question.

Since a player continues his/her turn until s/he misses a question, it is possible for one player to collect all six scoring wedges, then move into the hub and win the game all in one turn. If this happens, any player who has not yet had a turn is permitted a chance to duplicate the feat and create a tie.

All master games may be played with cards from other master games and from replacement and enhancement card sets or special packs. The colored dots on the question-and-answer cards are always arranged in the same order to facilitate interchangeable play.

Different editions

Over the years, numerous editions of Trivial Pursuit have been produced, usually specializing in various fields. The original version is known as the Genus edition (or Genus I). Several other general knowledge editions have followed (Genus II, etc.). Among the different versions that have been available over the years are:

• Original- Genus (1981)
• Walt Disney Family Board Game (1981)
• Silver Screen card set (1981)
• All Sports card set (1983)
• Baby Boomer card set (1983)
• Genus II card set (1984)
• RPM card set (1985)
• Walt Disney Family Edition card set (1985)
• Welcome to America card set (1985)
• Pocket Player Boob Tube (1987)
• Pocket Player TP's People (1987)
• The Good Life Travel card set (1987) (Canada)
• Trivial Pursuit for Juniors board (1987)
• Volume II board (1987)
• War & Victory Travel card set (1987) (Canada)
• Young Players card set (1987)
• The 1960's card set (1989)
• The 1980's (1989)
• Flicks Travel card set (1989)
• Rock and Pop Travel card set (1989)
• Sports Travel card set (1989)
• TV Travel card set (1989)
• Vintage Years (20's/50's) (1989)
• Junior Edition 2 (1990)
• TV card set (1991)
• 10th Anniversary (1992)
• The Year in Review 1992 (1992)
• All American board game (1993)
• Country Music Travel card set (1993)
• Game Show (1993)
• The Year in Review 1993 (1993)
• Genus III (1994)
• In Pursuit (1994, 2001)
• Junior Player Ed 3 (1994)
• Genus IV (1996)
• Junior Player Ed 4 (1996)
• Star Wars Classic Trilogy Collector's (1997)
• Know-it-All (Winning Moves) (1998)
• Know-It-All New England (Winning Moves-very hard to find)
• Know-It-All New York (Winning Moves-very hard to find)
• Know-It-All Chicago (Winning Moves-very hard to find)
• Millenium (1998)
• Star Wars Ep I (1999)
• Warner Bros (1999)
• Know-It All TP (2000)(this card set duplicated the questions from Winning Moves edition but also includes 32 additional cards)
• Biographies (2000)
• Genus V (2000)
• Junior Player Ed 5 (2001)
• 20th Anniversary (2002)
• Disney Animated Picture (2002)
• 2003 DVD Pop Culture (2003)
• Bite Sized (2003)
• Lord of the Rings (2003)
• Volume 6 (2003)
• 90's edition (in tin box) (2004)
• Book Lover's Edition (2004)
• Junior Player Ed 6 (2004)
• Lord of the Rings DVD (2004)
• Saturday Night Live DVD (2004)
• Star Wars Saga 2 DVD (2005)
• 2005 DVD Pop Culture 2 (2005)
• Pop Culture 2 to go (2006)
• Totally '80's (2006)
• TP for Kids Nickelodeon Ed (2006)
• DVD for Kids (2006)
• The Simpsons (due for release in 2007, date unsure)
• Junior Edition (Chocolate)
• Junior Edition (Sour Candy)

This list consists of board game/card sets released in US only. Other "official" Trivial Pursuit games such as "Star Trek" have been released in United Kingdom. That list is not currently available.

Controversies

Fred Worth lawsuit

In October 1984, Fred L. Worth, author of The Trivia Encyclopedia, Super Trivia, and Super Trivia II, filed a $300 million lawsuit against the distributors of Trivial Pursuit. He claimed that more than a quarter of the questions in the game's Genus Edition had been taken from his books, even to the point of reproducing typographical errors and deliberately placed misinformation. One of the questions in Trivial Pursuit was "What was Columbo's first name?" with the answer "Philip." That information had been fabricated by Worth and placed in his book to catch anyone who might try to violate his copyright. The Trivia Encyclopedia was first released in the early 1970s. ... Fictitious entries, also known as fake entries and Mountweazels, are deliberately wrong entries and articles in dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps and directories. ... Columbo is an American crime fiction TV series created by Richard Levinson and William Link. ... Fictitious entries, also known as fake entries and Mountweazels, are deliberately wrong entries and articles in dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps and directories. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

The inventors of Trivial Pursuit acknowledged that Worth's books were among their sources, but argued that this was not improper and that facts are not protected by copyright. The district court judge agreed, ruling in favor of the Trivial Pursuit inventors. The decision was appealed, and in September 1987 the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in California upheld the ruling. The issue was taken to the Supreme Court of the United States, which rejected Worth's arguments once and for all in March 1988. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: District of Alaska District of Arizona Central District of California Eastern District of California Northern District of California Southern District of California District of Hawaii... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest judicial body in the...

David Wall lawsuit

In 1994, David Wall of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, launched a lawsuit against the game's creators. He claimed that in the fall of 1979, he and a friend were hitchhiking near Sydney, Nova Scotia when they were picked up by Chris Haney. Wall claimed that he told Haney about his idea for the game in detail, including the shape of the markers. Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) is a regional municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. ... Downtown Sydney, Nova Scotia. ...

Wall's mother testified she found drawings of his that looked like plans for a Trivial Pursuit-like game, but the drawings had since been destroyed. Wall's friend, who was allegedly hitchhiking with him that day, never testified. Haney said he never met Wall.

Over the years, there was much legal wrangling, notably around whether the suit should be decided by a judge or jury. It ended up being heard by a judge of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. Final testimony was heard during the first week of 2007, and a decision is expected to come within a few months.^{[citation needed]} The Nova Scotia Supreme Court (and the Nova Scotia Family Division Court) is equivellant to a superior court where matters such as murder can be tried. ...

Dumbing down accusations

In the United Kingdom, Trivial Pursuit players have complained that recent versions of the game are dumbed down in comparison to previous editions, with easier questions and more focus on celebrities and show business.^{[citation needed]} In addition, some long time players in the U.S. have complained that recent editions promote commercial products, with questions such as, "Who was the first pizza delivery outfit to promise your order in 30 minutes?" (from the Genus III edition)^[3]. Dumbing down is a usually derogatory term which refers to the simplifying of a subject, often education, news and TV amongst others. ...

Television

Main article: Trivial Pursuit (game show)

A version of Trivial Pursuit hosted by Wink Martindale aired on The Family Channel in the USA. BBC Television produced a Trivial Pursuit quiz show based on the game in the UK hosted by Rory McGrath. Another British version (with slightly different rules) was hosted on The Family Channel (now Challenge) by Tony Slattery. Birgit Lechtermann hosted a version for VOX in Germany from 1993 to 1994. Trivial Pursuit was an American game show loosely based on the board game of the same name. ... Wink Martindale entering on Tic Tac Dough Wink Martindale (born Winston Conrad Martindale on December 4, 1933 in Jackson, Tennessee, USA) is a disc jockey and television game show host. ... ABC Family is an American cable television network currently owned by Disney-ABC Television Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company. ... BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which began in 1932. ... Quiz Show is a 1994 film which tells the true story of the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s. ... McGrath presenting More Own Goals & Gaffs DVD. Rory McGrath (born March 27, 1956) is an English comedian. ... Challenge is a British digital TV channel owned by Virgin Media Television. ... Anthony Declan James Slattery (born 9 November 1959) is a British actor and comedian. ... VOX is a commercial television channel in Germany. ...

In 1988, a made-for-television movie entitled "Breaking all the Rules: The Creation of Trivial Pursuit" was aired. Treated largely as a comedy, the movie featured the music of Ginette McLeod and portrayed the creators of the game as three beer-loving Canadians.

In September 2004, Stuart Scott hosted a very short-lived version of the show on ESPN based on Sports Trivia. Stuart Scott (born July 19, 1965 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American sportscaster for ESPN, most visibly as an anchor on SportsCenter. ... ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ...

References

1. ^ The History of Trivial Pursuit
2. ^ Trivial Pursuit History
3. ^ Trivial 'brain-teasers' enrage game's fans

External links

• Trivial Pursuit official website
• Exhaustive list of editions
• Trivial Pursuit rules
• Trivial Pursuit at BoardGameGeek
• Inventors and history