1. The game starts with a question.
2. People take turns adding a lines to the game:
   • The game starts with a question.
   • If you're adding a line below a question, write an answer to that question.
   • If you're adding a line below an answer, write a question that goes with it.
3. The game ends with an answer, after a certain number of lines.
4. After it ends, you read the first question and the final answer... which are usually totally unrelated! Then you read the whole game, watching how each line twists the meaning just a bit.

Playing Online vs. In Person

I didn't invent the game of Oracle — I just made this online version of it. I first learned about Oracle at parties with fellow Williams alumni. It was a fun way to get a bunch of people, who may not really know each other all that well, to each show a bit of their personal sense of humor.

To play the game in person, sit your group in a circle and give everyone a sheet of paper and pen. Everyone writes a question at the top of the paper, and passes the sheet to their right. The next person writes an answer and folds the sheet over, hiding the original question. They then pass it again, and the third person writes a question and folds the sheet again. Continue passing and alternating question-and-answer until there's no more room on the sheet (try to end with an answer).

Once all the sheets are filled, shuffle them around and give one to each player. Then go around the circle reading the sheets. Read the first question and the last answer; then read through the whole sheet to bridge the gap. Usually it sounds something like this:

It's a fun game in person... I hope it's also fun to play online. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me at shimon@rura.org.

Thank you,
Shimon Rura