sf bingo

Summary

a sketch of a more silly edition of A local’s guide to SF. not sure if this would actually work but it was fun to think about.

Basic rules

1. 2-4 teams of 3-6 people.
2. The game time will be 3 hours or when all squares are claimed, whichever comes first.
3. Blackout bingo: whichever team claims the most squares wins.
4. To claim a square, submit photo evidence to the organizers via your team’s group chat.
5. Everywhere inside of SF city limits is in play.
6. Regular squares can be claimed exactly once. The first team to achieve the square’s goal will claim it.
7. Battle squares can be stolen if another team gets a higher score than the existing claimer.
8. Once every 30 minutes (up to 5x per game): if your team is not in first place, you may request a hint from the organizers. If your team is in last place, you may additionally request the location of one other team.
9. The max budget per team is $50. You shouldn’t need anywhere close to this amount, but you can use it for emergency ubers/waymos, citybikes, etc. if desired.
10. You are allowed to use the internet, chatgpt, etc.

Squares will be randomly selected from the lists below to fill a 5x5 grid. There will be 5 battle squares (the four corners, and the center).

There will be two communication channels (both via Facebook Messenger).

1. Each team will elect a team captain, who will share their location with the organizers for the duration of the game (to aid with hints).
2. Every player will be added to a main group chat, where announcements (such as squares being claimed, game ending, etc) will be made to everyone.
3. Each team will have a private channel with the organizers where they can submit evidence, request/receive hints, ask for clarification, etc.

Regular square list

1. Find a sea lion. You must be within roughly 50 feet of it.
2. Stand on a bridge. (The bridge must be >10ft in length and cross a body of water.)
3. Find (and eat) a pineapple bun.
4. Visit an art museum. Take a picture next to a painting on display. (You don’t actually have to get admission.)
5. Find a statue taller than 10 feet.
6. Take at least 5 modes of transit (bike, scooter, bus, caltrain, bart, streetcar, muni metro, ferry).
7. Touch a WWII artifact that has remained in the same spot since the 1940s.
8. Find a pyramid-shaped structure that is not the Transamerica Pyramid. It must be taller than a person (6ft).
9. Get on a boat. The boat must be afloat on the San Francisco Bay.
10. Visit a bookstore and find a book that mentions a location or person in SF.

more to come.

Battle square list

1. High Ground: Highest point you can get to within city limits (by elevation above sea level).
2. Longest Road: Longest continuous Muni Metro or BART ride by number of stops. You must take a picture with a sign at your start and end stations.
3. Bookworm: Visit as many SF Public Library branches as you can.
4. McMansion: Take a picture outside the most expensive single-family home you can find (according to Zillow).
5. Bean Water: Find a coffee shop that sells the cheapest medium (12oz) cup of coffee. Large national restaurant chains (like Starbucks or McDonalds) are off-limits.

more to come.