Do you ever just sit around and say, “Hey, I wonder if — just given the chance — I could place all 50 states on a blank map of the United States”?
Well, here’s your chance.
Um, I scored 82% and had an “average error” of 32 miles. Hey, it’s harder than you think to just stick, say, Missouri in exactly the right spot on a blank map.
I love these learning games. I mean, who doesn’t relish the chance to learn just how iggnernt they really are?
Average error 10 miles. (90% right! I get an A!)
I am guessing one’s score is partly dependent on the order in which the states appear. If you get mostly coastal states with identifying parts first, it’s easier to position them right. But it’s a lot harder if you just get a bunch of the “square states” in the middle of the country at first. They’re a lot easier to position once you have some of the edges filled in to give you perspective.
(I got a lot of the coastal states first. And Texas came early on, which made it easier).
Fun game.
ricki — Yeah, my score has varied over the several times I’ve done it. I agree. I think it does depend a bit on the order.
Still, I didn’t do so well on those middle states. I’m embarrassed.
i used to do this to practice. we were doing an exercise in memory in one of my grad classes and i totally cheated.
and i am not even ashamed!
Okay. I’m a dork. I did it again: 90%, “average error” 14 miles.
ok. 1st time, 86%, avg error 18 miles. must play again now. yes, it’s hard to place the non-edge pieces right where they go when the edge pieces aren’t in place yet!
First time, 86%, average error 32 miles. I had the suckiest of orders.
Fun game.
ok, i played a couple more times last night. then a couple this morning. then i took the dog to the dog spa. then i played again just now. and now i feel better. 96%, 3 miles avg error. and i actually had a sucky error! but.. i guess it’s like cramming for a test. the more you play, the more you remember those pesky states that messed you up the first time.
this is a great way to learn your US geography! i should make Frank play it (he is seriously deficient in this subject).
you know, it’s the I states and the O states that kill me every time. who flippin’ cares where Ohio is?
sucky order, that is.
Fun!!
I got 90%, avg error 11 miles.
Sarah beat me. I got 96% but avg. error of FOUR miles. (It’s Nevada’s fault for being third on the list.) I also got Tennessee too early. Lots of fun.
True story – I got New Jersey last. It was very tempting to drop it well off into the Atlantic.
Okay I’ll probably be accused of cheating but I did not. I played this little game three times last week (from a link on another blog). Today I thought I’d give it another whirl… 98% and 2 miles… it took 770 seconds with a phone call interruption in the middle. Nebraska blew my perfect score. I had to place it third with nothing around it… damn Cornhusker state. It is all about the order, and it doesn’t hurt that I ship product throughout the country and look at the map everyday.
I got 92% with an average of 6 miles.
Fucking Delaware.
I got an 88% with an average error of 32 miles the first time, and 88% with an average error of 28 miles the second time. I am nothing if not consistent!
And Lisa…YES! Delaware got me BOTh times! Jeez!
I had no idea we all had such hostility towards specific states. Hahaha!
Nightfly wants to put his OWN state in the freakin’ ocean; sarahk doesn’t care about Ohio; Brian’s damning Nebraska and Lisa, well, she’s very upset with Delaware.
While we’re at it: Missouri can bite me.
“Missouri can bite me” – bwahahahaha!
Actually, when younger I used to play a lot of Roller Coaster Tycoon, a fun “build your own theme park” game. I actually did that to a cranky guest – I scooped him up and dunked him in a pond, with sort of a “Cool off, ya hothead” sort of air. It was actually sort of funny to see this goofy twelve-pixel-high little dude splash about next to the ducks, until he suddenly vanished.
Then I got the sad news on the running bulletin – “Guest #2428 has drowned!” I’m a horrible person. I confess that I was thinking of poor 2428 when I thought better of things and dropped Jersey safely on the proper side of the coastline.
First time: 92%, 27 miles. I got Oklahoma right at the start, and placed its tailpipe somewhere in New Mexico which made my “miles off” average HUGE.
I thought I’d do a lot worse, considering I’m from out West, where all the states are nice, big and chunky.
Shannon — You and me, babe.
86%
48 miles