How to Play Guess the Year
Each round shows five events, from battles and inventions to movies and sports records. Slide or type the year you think it happened. An exact guess scores 100; you lose 2 points for every year you are off. The Daily round is the same for everyone today; Unlimited rounds never run out.
Rules in 3 steps
- Read the event. Each card describes one event, such as the opening of a famous bridge or the release of a film.
- Pick a year. Drag the slider or type a year between 1000 and 2025, then lock it in.
- See how close you were. We show the real year, how far off you were and a one-line note. Five events make a round.
Scoring
- Exact year: 100 points. Every year off costs 2 points, down to 0 at 50 or more years off.
- A round has 5 events, so the best possible score is 500.
- Your share grid uses 🟩 for within 2 years, 🟨 within 10, 🟧 within 25 and 🟥 for further off.
Tips
- Anchor on dates you know: 1492, 1776, 1914, 1945, 1969. Ask whether the event came before or after.
- Use technology clues. Anything with phones, planes or screens narrows the range a lot.
- Think about who was involved. If you know roughly when a person lived, you can bracket the event.
- When unsure, guess the middle of your range: it keeps your worst-case miss small.
FAQ
Is Guess the Year free?
Yes. The Daily round and Unlimited rounds are free with no sign-up.
What years can events come from?
Every event is from AD 1000 or later. Most are from the last 300 years.
When does the Daily round change?
At midnight US Eastern Time. Everyone gets the same five events that day.
Who writes the events?
Our team writes every event and note. If you think a year is wrong, email us and we will check it.