GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Pyramid Game is one of television’s most exciting and intelligent word games. It is a fast-moving, 30-minute game show that features two teams, each composed of a celebrity and a contestant. With the celebrities helping their partners to win.
The Regular Pyramid Game
At the start of each show, the Regular Pyramid Board is revealed to both teams and the audience. The board has six categories written on it, as in the following example:
The object of the game is for one member of the team (the “clue-giver”) to give his partner the names of various items in the categories shown on the board. Each category contains seven items associated with that category.
The team playing selects a category from the Regular Pyramid Board. The “clue-giver” has thirty seconds to communicate to his partner a list of items in the chosen category. The items are flashed one at a time on a monitor contained in the team’s desk that is visible to the “clue-giver”, but concealed from the partner. The items may also be seen by the home and studio audience and on the monitor of the opposing team.
As each item is flashed on the monitor, the “clue-giver” describes the item to his or her partner, trying to get him or her to identify the item according to the following rules:
In describing items, the “clue-giver” may use words, phrases and sentences; may use his hands to point and gesture; and may hum, sing and mime. But he may not use any complete word or part of a word that is in the answer.
The teams alternate for the first four categories. At this point, the team with the lower score chooses one of the two remaining categories on the Regular Pyramid Board. If after playing the fifth category, that team still has a score lower than the opposing team, the sixth category will not be played; but if that team’s score now surpasses its opponent’s, the opposing team plays the sixth category. After the five or six categories (as the case may be) are played, the team with the most points wins the First Regular Pyramid Game.
MYSTERY SEVEN” GAME
Once in each show, in the second Regular Pyramid Game, one of the categories on the board is entitled “MYSTERY SEVEN”. All seven items in mystery seven belong to a single category, but the players are not told until after the round of plays is over what that category is. When a contestant, by chance, selects that subject, the Host announces to the contestant that he has the opportunity to win a bonus prize should they correctly identify all seven items in the mystery seven category in 30 seconds. The mystery seven category will always be played by the contestant who selected it. Examples of such bonus prizes are: a trip for two to an exotic destination.
The “Winner’s Circle
The object of the Regular Pyramid Game is not to win money, but to score points, in order to go on to play the “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Game. The object of the “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Game is to win money.
The “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Game is played twice in each show: once in the first half of the show (immediately after the first Regular Pyramid Game) and once in the second half (immediately after the second Regular Pyramid Game).
The contestant whose team scores the higher number of points in the first Regular Pyramid Game of the show plays the first “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Game, for a potential winning of N5,000,000. If the same contestant also wins the second Regular Pyramid Game of the show, that contestant plays the second “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Game for total potential N10,000,000
The contestant of the team playing the “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Game decides whether to give or receive the clues. Beginning at the bottom of the “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Board, and going from left to right, the “clue-giver” attempts to get his partner to identify the category in each Pyramid box by giving clues to the category. The person receiving the clues cannot see the “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Board. The team has 60 seconds to get to the top of the Pyramid. The board is blank to start, with the boxes turning one at a tie to reveal the categories. Once the person receiving the clues correctly guesses a category, the box turns to reveal the Naira amount.
In clueing the categories of the “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Board, the “clue-giver” may only give a list of items that fit the category. The “clue-giver” cannot use his/her own made up phrases that point directly to the answer
If, during the playing of the “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Board, the team decides that it has spent enough time attempting to identify a category it may go on to the next box, continuing to the top box of the pyramid. At this point, if they still have time on the 60-second clock, the players may return to the categories they passed.
The Host describes to the team the rules of the “WINNER’S CIRCLE” Pyramid Game in words similar to the following:
“You’re going for the N10,000,000. To win it, you must name the six categories that will be shown on the pyramid behind you; and you must do it in less than 60 seconds. Every time we reveal a category, you (the “clue-giver”) quickly give your partner a list of items that fit in the subject. If YOU go all the way up the Pyramid and get all six in 60 seconds, you win N10,000,000.”
“You’re only allowed to give a list of the items that fit that category. If you use your hands to describe, or give any other kind of clue or mention any part of the category, you’ll hear this sound (BUZZER) – which means you lose the chance to win the N10,000,000. Good Luck!
Here’s the first subject. GO!
Here’s the first subject. GO!