Answer to step forward
Each question is one step along the wire. Pick one of four answers before the 20-second timer runs out.
September 21, 2026Walk #3
Wobbles left
Score0
Today's walk
Nine questions, one step each. Answer fast for bonus points. Three wrong answers and you fall.
Answer with 1234 or click
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Next walk in --:--:--
Tightrope Game is a free daily trivia quiz where you answer nine multiple-choice questions to walk a tightrope between two rooftops. Each correct answer is one step forward, three wrong answers and you fall, and a new walk opens every midnight Eastern Time.
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Want to walk it for real?
Play the tightrope walking game
Try the Tightrope Walking Game: a balance game where you lean against the wind to cross 80 m spans between towers. It has Classic, Daily Walk and Windy modes.
Play the balance gameNine questions between two rooftops
How to play Tightrope Game
Every day at midnight Eastern Time a new walk opens. Everyone gets the same nine questions, in the same order, so you can compare scores with friends.
Three wobbles, then you fall
A wrong answer or a timeout makes you wobble. You can survive two. The third sends you off the wire and ends the walk.
Speed earns points
A correct answer is worth 100 points plus up to 100 more for speed. The faster you answer, the bigger the bonus.
Cross for a bonus
Reach the far tower with at least one wobble left and you collect a 250-point crossing bonus.
How your score adds up
Scoring
| Event | Points |
|---|---|
| Correct answer | 100 |
| Speed bonus (answer instantly) | up to 100 |
| Crossing bonus (finish all 9 steps) | 250 |
| Wrong answer or timeout | 0 + one wobble |
| Perfect walk | 2,050 |
Easy, medium, then hard
Difficulty levels
- Steps 1 to 3Easy questions to find your footing.
- Steps 4 to 6Medium: the middle of the wire, where it sags the most.
- Steps 7 to 9Hard questions just before the far tower.
Answers
Yesterday's Tightrope answers
Walk #2 from September 20, 2026. Today's answers appear here tomorrow, after everyone has had a chance to play.
- 1HistoryEasy
Which ancient civilization built the Great Pyramid of Giza?
Answer: Egyptians
The Great Pyramid was built around 4,500 years ago as a tomb for the pharaoh Khufu.
- 2SpaceEasy
About how many days does it take Earth to orbit the Sun once?
Answer: 365
One orbit takes about 365.25 days, which is why we add a leap day every four years.
- 3Words & LanguageEasy
What does the prefix "bi-" mean, as in "bicycle"?
Answer: Two
The prefix bi- comes from Latin; a bicycle has two wheels and a biped walks on two legs.
- 4Arts & LiteratureMedium
In which Shakespeare play does the moneylender Shylock appear?
Answer: The Merchant of Venice
Shylock demands a pound of flesh as the penalty for an unpaid loan.
- 5Food & CultureMedium
Kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish, is a staple of which cuisine?
Answer: Korean
Kimchi is most often made from napa cabbage seasoned with chili, garlic and ginger.
- 6GeographyMedium
What is the smallest independent country in the world by area?
Answer: Vatican City
Vatican City covers about 0.44 square kilometers and is entirely surrounded by the city of Rome.
- 7Words & LanguageHard
What is the name of the "&" symbol?
Answer: Ampersand
The ampersand began as a ligature of the Latin et, meaning and; its name slurs "and per se and."
- 8Words & LanguageHard
The word "robot" first appeared in a 1920 play by a writer of which nationality?
Answer: Czech
Karel Capek's play R.U.R. introduced robot, from the Czech robota, meaning forced labor.
- 9Food & CultureHard
What Japanese word names the savory fifth basic taste?
Answer: Umami
Chemist Kikunae Ikeda coined umami in 1908 after identifying glutamate in kombu seaweed broth.
What the questions cover
Trivia categories
270 original questions across nine subjects, written for this game. A daily walk mixes them, so no two days feel the same.
History
30 questionsArts & Literature
30 questionsScience
30 questionsSpace
30 questionsWords & Language
30 questionsFood & Culture
30 questionsSports & Games
30 questionsNature & Animals
30 questionsGeography
30 questionsHow to cross more often
Tightrope Game tips
Read all four answers
The first option that looks right is not always the best one. A second of reading costs only a few bonus points. A wobble costs far more.
Guess before time runs out
A timeout counts as a wrong answer. If you can rule out two options, pick one of the others. A guess is still right one time in four.
Save your wobbles
The last three steps are the hardest. Taking a little more care early on leaves you room for a miss near the far tower.
Good to know
Limits of the game
Your stats stay on this device
There are no accounts or leaderboards. Scores and streaks are saved in your browser, so clearing site data or switching devices resets them.
Questions can be wrong
Every question is checked, but mistakes slip through. If an answer looks wrong, report it and it will be reviewed.
One daily walk counts
Only your first daily walk counts toward stats. Practice rounds use random questions and don't count, so you can't retry the daily set for a better score.
Questions about the game
Tightrope Game FAQ
Tightrope Game is an independent quiz. It isn't affiliated with Encyclopaedia Britannica or its Tightrope trivia game.
When does a new Tightrope walk come out?
A new walk opens every day at midnight Eastern Time. Everyone who plays that day gets the same nine questions in the same order.
How many questions are in each walk?
Nine: three easy, three medium and three hard, in that order. Each correct answer moves your walker one step closer to the far tower.
What happens if I answer wrong?
A wrong answer or a timeout costs you a wobble. You can survive two wobbles. The third one sends you off the wire and ends the walk.
How is the score calculated?
Each correct answer is worth 100 points plus a speed bonus of up to 100. Finishing all nine steps adds a 250-point crossing bonus, so a perfect walk scores 2,050.
Where can I find the answers?
Yesterday's answers appear on this page and on the Tightrope Game Answers page, which also keeps the answers to earlier walks. Today's answers are added after midnight Eastern Time.
Can I play more than once a day?
The daily walk counts once, so scores stay comparable. After you finish, you can play unlimited practice rounds with random questions.
Is this the Britannica Tightrope game?
No. Tightrope Game is an independent quiz with its own original questions. It isn't affiliated with Encyclopaedia Britannica or its Tightrope trivia game.
Is it free, and does it work on my phone?
Yes. It's free, runs in any modern browser on phones, tablets and computers, and needs no account or download.