Think backwards
Do not only ask where the start article leads, but which articles would mention the target. For the Moon these are for example Earth, astronomy or spaceflight. Find one of them and you are almost there.
TrainingLearn the Wikipedia game
Choose start and target or draw a pair. The training shows you what to look for, which links lead towards the target and why. No time pressure, no leaderboard.
Two well known articles, right away.
Think for yourself first, then reveal it with “Hint”. That way you learn the most.
How the training helps you
Briefing on the target
Before you start, you learn what the target is about, which topics it belongs to and which articles link directly to it.
Hints at the push of a button
On every page a hint shows you which links lead towards the target and explains why. The links are marked in the article.
Feedback after every click
After every click you see whether you got closer, took a detour or whether there was a better link.
Debrief with a solution
At the end you compare your path with a short way to the target and get what to remember for the next round.
The Babylonians watched the sky very closely and laid foundations of astronomy and mathematics. Their calendar followed the course of the Moon.
Warm You are on the right track: the target is not far from here.
- astronomy1 click from the target“Astronomy” links to “Moon”. From there it is only one more click.
- calendarRelated topicThe article “Moon” links to “Calendar” as well. The topics are connected.
5 strategies for the Wiki race
Good players use these tricks. In training you see when each one fits.
First go general, then narrow down
If start and target are far apart, a big hub article helps: countries, eras or sciences link to almost everything. From there you go step by step into the topic of the target.
Read the introduction first
The most important links of an article are usually in its first paragraphs. Looking there finds the right link faster than the long rest of the text.
Close? Stay on topic
If you are already in the topic of the target, a jump back to something general is usually a detour. Stick to the links that fit the target.
Make every click count
There is no way back and at most 10 clicks. Read the whole page before you click: the target is often already linked.
Questions about the training
What is the training mode?
In training you play a Wiki race alone, with a pair of your choice or a random pair. The game gives you a briefing on the target, hints with reasons at the push of a button, a rating after every click and a debrief with a short solution at the end.
Where do the hints come from?
From the link data of the English Wikipedia: which articles link directly to the target, which belong to the same topic and which the target itself mentions. Every link that is supposed to be only one click from the target is checked first.
Is the solution the shortest way?
Not necessarily. The training looks for a way with at most 3 clicks. There may be other ways of the same length or even shorter ones. If it finds none, that does not mean there is none.
Does training count for the leaderboard?
No. Training rounds count neither for the leaderboard nor for your streak. They do count for the achievement “Well Trained”: complete 5 training rounds successfully and you get 2 power-up packs.
What is the difference to a practice round?
A practice round is a random pair without help, like in the real game. In training you choose the pair yourself and get hints and a debrief, so you learn what matters.