Question design principles

A good card begins with one checkable idea such as a cause, purpose, meaning, method, origin, or unusual property. The question asks for that axis without stating the conclusion.

The axis gives Bluffers a fair place to begin. If a question could be answered by several unrelated kinds of facts, the discussion becomes a collection of guesses rather than a useful test of explanation.

An opaque front may be a term, name, or compact phrase whose meaning is not delivered by the surface. It should not be a disguised definition that tells players the field before anyone speaks.

An open topic is allowed when the subject is recognisable but the selected property is uncommon. Its wording should point toward what needs explaining without turning the rare fact into a clue.

When directions are used, one relates to the answer and two are plausible alternatives. All three should have a similar level of detail so a conspicuously precise label does not reveal the answer by itself.

Correct positions vary across the library. Direction wording is also checked across concepts so players cannot win by memorising a frequent label or assuming that the first position is meaningful.

The full answer states the central fact first and then gives enough context for the reveal. It may acknowledge a disputed date, variable practice, or limited evidence instead of presenting a neat but unsupported claim.

The short answer keeps the same central fact and removes supporting detail. It is a shorter reading edition for the room setting, not a different answer or an easier category clue.

Editors ask whether several players could offer a plausible explanation from the front alone. The best alternatives are connected to the wording but do not accidentally reproduce the researched answer.

A card is revised when the front is common knowledge, the answer depends on a hidden exception that cannot be explained, or the directions create a mechanical shortcut. A card can also be removed when revision would change its subject.

The three language versions must describe the same answer axis and preserve the same degree of uncertainty. A natural translation can use a different sentence order or familiar name when that is clearer for its readers.

Reviewers compare the question with both answer editions in each locale. The final card should be speakable in discussion, readable on a phone, and free of wording that gives one locale an unintended advantage.