# How well do you know the states? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 30, 2007, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568 "2007-10-30T14:01:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Bagistan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Bagistan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bagistan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/61 "2007-10-30T21:24:54Z")
[QUOTE=Pochacco] […](curse you, Estonia, Lithuania & Latvia!) [/QUOTE] No, instead curse Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Or rather not, since they have been kind enough to sort themselves in alphabetical order from top to bottom. They’re also sorted in terms of population (ascending from north to south: 1.x, 2.x, 3.x million respectively) and land area (ascending from north). What more could we ask from them? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/62 "2007-10-30T21:26:07Z")
USA: 150/150. I wonder how we’d do if they removed the state border lines? ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/63 "2007-10-30T21:36:15Z")
150/150. Not living in the US, but a citizen and from a culturally US-centric family. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/64 "2007-10-30T21:48:05Z")
[QUOTE=fachverwirrt] You get more than one try. If you get a state on the first try, you get 3 points; two tries, 2 points; three tries, 1 point. That’s how people ended up with scores that are not multiples of three. [/QUOTE] Really? Then I’m not sure how I ended up with 146, because I only remember it telling me I was wrong on Deleware one time. I got it on the second try. Also, I just wanted to point out that this test is not to be trusted because the map itself is inaccurate. As I learned it from my puzzle-map of the states Illinois is orange, Wisconsin is green, West Virginia is purple, Washington is orange… This map has it all wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/65 "2007-10-30T22:05:30Z")
[QUOTE=Marlitharn] 133/150. I’m the best of the worst! There’s no one worse than me! There’s no one worse than me! It was the New England states and those stupid square states out west that screwed me up. [/QUOTE] Same here! 118…DOH! ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/66 "2007-10-30T22:37:03Z")
If you do the state capitals one, ignore the stars - just click on the middle of the state. (Some of the stars are half in another state, and will resister as a wrong answer in you click directly on the star.) (See Delaware star, which is half in New Jersey) On the Europe one, when they ask about the Former Yugoslav Republic, they mean Macedonia, which (because of Greek lobbying) is technically known as The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. But the full name is truncated on the quiz, and so is confusing. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/67 "2007-10-30T23:16:03Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] :eek: [/QUOTE] Sorry. They are right next to each other. 🆒 (Stupid mistake, really. I know where they are, I just clicked too hastily.) ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/68 "2007-10-30T23:33:47Z")
[QUOTE=Noone Special] 150/150. Not living in the US, but a citizen and from a culturally US-centric family. [/QUOTE] I live here. In fact, I’ve lived in about 13 states, trekked back and forth across the country by car numerous times and have relatives all over the damned place. I got 148. Dumb, dumb, stupid Arkansas. Twice. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/69 "2007-10-31T00:16:22Z")
150/150. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/70 "2007-10-31T00:38:44Z")
Europe: 98/138. Ouch! Slovenia, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, yeesh! Eastern Europe ate me for lunch. I knew where all the teeny weeny itsy bitsy countries were, though 😛 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/71 "2007-10-31T00:54:31Z")
Asia: 72/96. I was expecting worse. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/72 "2007-10-31T01:02:49Z")
150/150. I didn’t take the European or Canadian tests but would do significantly worse at those. Stupid Balkans, Maritimes, and prairie provinces. [QUOTE=Siam Sam] No, I believe San Marino is completely enclosed by Italy. It’s not on a border like Andorra. [/QUOTE] Yeah. It’s in the nortwest corner of the peninsula, near the Adriatic. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/73 "2007-10-31T01:29:22Z")
143/150 because I was sloppy a couple of times. I remember states based on what they’re next to. I have to mentally work my way through them: Ohio-\>Indiana-\>Illinois-\>Iowa, Wisconsin is north of Illinois, Minnesota is north of Iowa, etc. I can worm my way through to most states, although I really have to think when I get out west (Nevada, Utah and Colorado always require lots of thought). I finally figured out the Vermont is V-shaped trick pretty recently. Haven’t done the other tests yet… GT ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/74 "2007-10-31T01:54:53Z")
[QUOTE=Aesiron] 150/150. I didn’t take the European or Canadian tests but would do significantly worse at those. Stupid Balkans, Maritimes, and prairie provinces. [/QUOTE] 35/39 for Canada 121/138 for Europe I really hate the Maritimes. They should all be a single province. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/75 "2007-10-31T02:26:38Z")
Without reading the rest of the thread…Perfect score. I have taught fourth grade U.S History and Geography, though 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/76 "2007-10-31T03:42:25Z")
US States: 150/150 Canada: 39/39 Asia 93/96, stupid stans An awful 381/474 on US cities Europe: 138/138, they didn’t even ask Cyprus. Mexico: A surprising 47 out of 96 given that I went in knowing 3 mexican states. Germany: 38/48 thanks to Europa Universalis. India: 39/105. Much better than I expected. ---
**Author:** ![Secret\_Volcano\_Lair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Secret\_Volcano\_Lair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Secret_Volcano_Lair)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/77 "2007-10-31T04:54:03Z")
US States: 150/150 Africa 123/162 Asia 88/96 Europe 133/138 Canada 39/39 US Cities 412/474 ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/78 "2007-10-31T05:38:12Z")
150/150 on the states. I do the V thing with Vermont, so I finally remember which is which. From _John Adams_ I learned that New Hampshire was once part of Mass. so I could tell Mass. from Conn. Some of the rest of it comes from having traveled through some of them. It helps to live in Illinois, so you’re right in the middle of a lot of them. I can orient them from here. Oh, and Nebraska has the cowcatcher on it. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/79 "2007-10-31T06:29:10Z")
[QUOTE=thirdwarning] Oh, and Nebraska has the cowcatcher on it. [/QUOTE] Phhht. Clearly you made a lucky mistake on the test. Montana has the cowcatcher, Nebraska is the vacuum cleaner. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568/80 "2007-10-31T10:46:12Z")
The major US cities one was the hardest. For me anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-well-do-you-know-the-states/424568.md?page=5)