Which would you write for?

[Strikerz04]

I'd say "scrabble" only because of the creative aspect (and by the end of the run and into the '93 version, the writers really perfected it).

[clemon79]

I'd say "scrabble" only because of the creative aspect (and by the end of the run and into the '93 version, the writers really perfected it).

Man, when I'm getting paid handsomely to work ten hours a week, I'll find ways to be creative with the other 30 on my own time and terms.

[TLEberle]

Man, when I'm getting paid handsomely to work ten hours a week, I'll find ways to be creative with the other 30 on my own time and terms.

I'd just throw on a podcast and get really good at Fruit Ninja.

[BrandonFG]

I gotta go with Pyramid or Super Password (I'll narrow it down by the time I finish this post). Even with a team of writers, crafting a question takes work...I've done it for various people's games as well as a "home version" of a game I put together called Countdown. Don't even get me started on the wordy questions Barry and Enright used to ramp the drama. Each producer had his or her own style of writing, though...

For a trivia game like $ale or Jeopardy!, you're prolly looking at a good 30-40 for the former (including Fame Games and the Speed Round), and 61 for the latter. My hat always goes off to the writers who compile your generally "difficult" trivia (a $2000 level clue on J!, anything in the upper tier on Millionaire), or even the riddles on Jackpot. However, I'm with Chris in the fact that I wouldn't mind getting the hard work out the way, then enjoying the rest of my week.

Granted, coming up with seven subjects for a category on Pyramid is no walk in the park either. It's not so much the fact that you gotta come up with seven items...it's coming up with seven items one can describe quickly. In the case of SP, you gotta have five good words that can be described in just one word. All that being said, I think I could have enough fun with Pyramid, and would love trying to come up with good Winner's Circle topics. So yes, Pyramid. :-)

Off the board, Split Second or Double Talk. Now, am I just a head writer, or do I get promoted any point? Can I pitch my own show to the network after certain milestone years? ;-D

[TLEberle]

In the case of SP, you gotta have five good words that can be described in just one word.

I don't think I agree with that.

[BrandonFG]

I might've phrased that wrong (damn stream of consciousness), but I think it falls into a similar category as Pyramid. You can have five clue words that are related to the subject, but can they necessarily be described without complicating the process. It was a similar issue I had with Body Language...there were quite a few words that were great as clues, but not so easy to describe or act out.

[The Ol' Guy]

With "head writer" implying I'd also have a staff alongside, I'd go with Squares. The combination of looking up fascinating trivia and all of us working on punch lines to go with them would be too much fun. Stressful, but fun.

[trainman]

Which one has the best craft services table?

[TLEberle]

It was a similar issue I had with Body Language...there were quite a few words that were great as clues, but not so easy to describe or act out.

I think that's part of the fun of the game. Part of the challenge of the writing is to strike that balance of interesting to play out, interesting to play along, and does it fit the puzzle. I think one of the things Body Language did (and Blackout too) to distinguish itself from Super Password is having words that don't lead you to the answer until you insert them into the puzzle. Win, Lose or Draw's puzzle round had that problem, I thought.

[chrisholland03]

Which one has the best craft services table?

That eliminates Bob Stewart Productions...

[pyrfan]

...among the titles in the given list, it is GLARING how little work TT requires as opposed to the others. I was mostly pointing out that major shortcoming in the question, which to me demonstrates a lack of actual thought put into it. And if the asker isn't going to put thought into it, why should I?

Actually, I put a pretty good amount of thought into the question and the possible choices. Then again, the way I intended it to be read was "Which of these shows would you most enjoy writing for?" You took it as "On which game can I do the least amount of work and still get paid?" However, the fact that you read it that way doesn't mean that the question is inherently flawed.

Also, you're assuming that the first 20 "Tattletales" questions that you and your staff come up with are solid gold and you can just go have your pizza at 10:30. After roundtabling your questions, you might be left with three good ones, and then it's back to the drawing board.

[TLEberle]

Then again, the way I intended it to be read was "Which of these shows would you most enjoy writing for?"

Then perhaps you should have said that instead of what you said.

The fact that some of us didn't answer your question the way you wanted them to doesn't necessarily mean the problem is on their end.

[clemon79]

Then again, the way I intended it to be read was "Which of these shows would you most enjoy writing for?" You took it as "On which game can I do the least amount of work and still get paid?"

Since you went to exceptional lengths to state that I would be making a comfortable living and was under no threat of cancellation, ever, and since I've written questions professionally and know what the job entails, I stand by my answer. You seem to think the two statements above are mutually exclusive. You would be wrong.

What Travis said: if you don't like how I answered your question, it is in fact possible that you set it up badly.

Also, you're assuming that the first 20 "Tattletales" questions that you and your staff come up with are solid gold and you can just go have your pizza at 10:30. After roundtabling your questions, you might be left with three good ones, and then it's back to the drawing board.

Way to completely miss the point.

[pyrfan]

Oh, holy hell. It was a simple human-interest question.

Congratulations, guys. It's taken over a decade, but you've finally broken me. I'm done.

[TLEberle]

Make sure you grab your ball before taking off.