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Measuring Questions

Measuring questions follow the format, "Compared to me, are you closer to or further from ____?" Valid answers are closer or further. Hiders have five minutes to answer. These questions are also universally useful, and good for slicing the map in unique and clever ways. It is important to note that if locations are not within a map's boundaries, players must operate as if they do not exist. For example, if the seekers asked if they were closer to or further from an international border than the hider, but there were no international borders in the map's boundaries, it would return a null answer (null answers count as answered questions, and hiders get to draw cards).

After a measuring question has been answered, the hider may draw 3 cards and keep 1.

Here are two little diagrams to help illistrate how measuring questions can work:

Compared to me, are you closer to or further from a coastline?

Compared to me, are you closer to or further from an airport?

These are the measuring questions available to the seekers:

Commercial Airport​

If there is any ambiguity, an airport is considered commercial if you can view flights to/from it via Google Flights (flights.google.com).

High-Speed Train Line​

Different countries sometimes have different definitions of high-speed rail, so it is worth using whatever definition is locally applicable. Otherwise, we recommend following the EU definition: Minimum speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) on lines specifically built for high speed rail and of about 200 km/h (124 mph) on existing lines which have been specifically upgraded.

Rail Station​

Includes light and heavy rail; metros/subways count.

Borders​

International Border​

Enclaves count!

1st Administrative Division Border​

This is a border between the biggest formal category of division. For the US, it would be states. In Switzerland, cantons. In Japan, prefectures.

2nd Administrative Division Border​

This is a border between the next level of division. In the US, this is counties. In Switzerland, districts. In Japan, subprefectures.

Natural​

Sea Level​

This refers to a player's altitude.

You can find this using your phone's compass. Fair warning: sometimes the compass is wrong, so don't rely too heavily on this being 100% accurate.

Body of Water​

Any named body of water on your maps app, excluding pools.

Coastline​

Okay, so: defining where a coastline begins is a famously difficult geographical question. Here is the definition we have developed–we're not saying it's perfect, but at least it is objective.

For our purposes, a coastline is defined as: any place where land meets either the ocean, a great lake, or a body of water that flows directly into the ocean or great lake via a waterway that is never less than 1 mile across.

You can see this illustrated below:

Coastline Illustration

We recommend you don't rely on this to be super precise, and that you consult with each other if there's any weirdness.

Mountain​

Anything correctly classified as a mountain by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.

Park​

Anything correctly classified as a park by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon. As noted in the park matching question, this could lead to strangeness. If you are in a large park, a mile from the park icon, you might have to say you are a mile away from any park despite the fact that you are in a park. Nonetheless, we believe measuring to the icon is the cleanest and most objective system.

Places of Interest​

Amusement Park​

Anything correctly categorized as an amusement park by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.

Zoo​

Anything correctly categorized as a zoo by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.

Aquarium​

Anything correctly categorized as an aquarium by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.

Golf Course​

An outdoor golf course. Miniature golf does not count. Driving ranges do not count. Measure distance from the map icon.

We urge seekers to clarify their understanding of what counts when sending this question.

Museum​

Anything correctly categorized as a museum by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.

Movie Theater​

Anything correctly categorized as a movie theater by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.

Public Utilities​

Hospital​

Anything correctly categorized as a hospital by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.

Library​

Anything correctly categorized as a library by your mapping app. Measure distance from the map icon.

Foreign Consulate​

Anything correctly categorized as a foreign consulate by your mapping app. Exclude honorary consulates. Measure distance from the map icon.