Fizz buzz
Bizz buzz (also known as fizz buzz, or simply buzz) is a group word game frequently encountered as a car game or a drinking game.
Play
Players generally sit in a circle. The player designated to go first says the number "1", and each player thenceforth counts one number in turn. However, any number divisible by three is replaced by the word bizz and any divisible by five by the word buzz. Numbers divisible by both become bizz buzz. A player who hesitates or makes a mistake is either eliminated or must pay a forfeit, such as taking a drink.
Example
A typical round of bizz buzz starts like this:
- 1, 2, Bizz, 4, Buzz, Bizz, 7, 8, Bizz, Buzz, 11, Bizz, 13, 14, Bizz Buzz, 16, 17, Bizz, 19, Buzz, Bizz, 22, 23, Bizz, Buzz, 26, Bizz, 28, 29, Bizz Buzz, 31, 32, Bizz, 34, Buzz, Bizz, ...
Variations
- Different divisors such as 7 can be used in place of 3 and 5.
- Instead of replacing numbers that have 3 or 5 as a factor, the game can be played by replacing numbers containing the digit 3 or 5 with "bizz" or "buzz":
1, 2, Bizz, 4, Buzz, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Bizz, 14, Buzz, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, Bizz, 24, Buzz, 26, 27, 28, 29, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz Bizz, Bizz, Bizz Buzz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, 40, 41, 42, Bizz, 44, Bizz Buzz, ...
- This variation can be combined with the original to form an even more challenging sequence:
1, 2, Bizz, 4, Buzz, Bizz, 7, 8, Bizz, Buzz, 11, Bizz, Bizz, 14, Bizz Buzz, 16, 17, Bizz, 19, Buzz, Bizz, 22, Bizz, Bizz, Buzz, 26, Bizz, 28, 29, Bizz Buzz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Buzz, 41, Bizz, Bizz, 44, Bizz Buzz, ...
- In these variations, sometimes only the actual digit is replaced, so 23 becomes "twenty-bizz" and 50 is "buzzty".
- Different words or gestures can replace "bizz" or "buzz".
- The game can be played in a mathematical base other than 10. For example, playing in base 5 would proceed as follows:
1, 2, Bizz, 4, Buzz, Bizz, 12, 13, Bizz, Buzz, 21, Bizz, 23, 24, Bizz Buzz, 31, 32, Bizz, 34, Buzz, Bizz, ...
Note, this order also presents when counting in base 10 as everyone is usually too drunk to notice any mistake.
- A more challenging variation has the direction change on Bizz or Buzz, but not on Bizz-Buzz. For certain sequences, this makes the action bounce between 2 or 3 players and causes misplays when it breaks out. The 3/7 version of the game has a great sequence between 12 and 18, for example.
- Another variation requires the Bizz or the Buzz to not only accompany divisibility, but also must take into account those digits' occurrence in the number. For instance, using a 7 for Buzz, a 7 would be a Buzz-Buzz (divisible by 7 and a 7 occurred in the number), 14 a single Buzz, and 17 would also be a single Buzz. 77 would be a triple Buzz. When played in conjunction with a 3, 27 would be a Bizz-Buzz.
Other Uses
Fizz Buzz has been used as an interview screening device for computer programmers [1][2]. Creating a list of the first 100 Fizz Buzz numbers is a very small problem for any would-be computer programmer, so interviewers can easily sort out those with insufficient programming ability.