Playing Trivia


Anyone interested in playing Trivia can play: the teams are divided into on-campus and off-campus groups and scored in separate brackets, as both groups are not always asked the same questions. On-campus groups have played in every dorm, and off-campus teams have played from as far away as Japan, listening in via webcast.

Registration starts before the contest, after the previous year's Super Garruda is read over the air. All teams should call into WLFM beforehand to sign up: listen for details.

The format of Trivia (except for the Credo itself) has varied over the years, but the contest always lasts from Friday at 10:00:37 p.m. to just after midnight on Sunday. Teams call in with answers to questions read on the air, receiving three guesses. A regular question is worth five points and should be answered in three minutes. No partial credit will be given for multiple-part answers.

In addition to the regular questions, on-campus teams participate in "action questions" (e.g. trying to compose the best love song or gather the most human hair), which are worth twice as much as regular questions and have variable time limits.

On Sunday night near the close of the contest, three very difficult questions, known as "Garrudas," are asked. Each Garruda is worth 25-50 points and must be answered in 10 minutes.

Finally, the contest ends as it begins, with a Super Garruda. The Super Garruda is worth 100 points and must be answered in 20 minutes.

The gods among men who read the questions, known as trivia masters, are chosen in the fall by existing trivia masters after a grueling audition; any Lawrence student is eligible but those who've played in previous years have a slight advantage.

Presiding over all of them is the Grand Master, chosen by an outgoing Grand Master from the ranks of current trivia masters. The new Grand Master is named at the awards ceremony which marks the official end of Trivia Weekend. The word of the Grand Master is law, and overrules anything written on this page.

Rules


This leads naturally to the rules. Foremost among them is the Credo, the most important rule of the Great Midwest Trivia Contest:

Trivia is meant to be entertainment and should be perceived solely in that light.

No one who truly understands the Credo will have trouble with any of the other rules, but there are a few more:

1. Decisions made by the Grand Master of Trivia or the Station Manager are FINAL.

2. When a team calls to answer a question, they will be allowed only three chances to give the correct answer. Only one guess can be made per call for a Garruda.

3. Cheating is forbidden. Any team caught cheating will have its point total zeroed (the only way to lose points in this contest). Cheating is defined as:

a. Interfering with the ability of others to participate in the contest.
b. Obtaining answers from anyone on the WLFM or Trivia staffs.
c. Competing in the contest under more than one official team name.
d. Abuse of the telephone system, as determined by the Grand Master. Dialing to the phone numbers provided for the other team bracket is a common example.
e. Prostitution of the Trivia Credo.
f. Considering anything sacred.