# I can place all 50 US states on a blank map!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [October 26, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965 "2006-10-26T12:47:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/1 "2006-10-26T12:47:36Z")
A game on [addictinggames.com](http://addictinggames.com) called [50 States](http://www.addictinggames.com/50states.html) asks you to place the states on a blank outline of the US (including Alaska and Hawai’i, which I guess helps weed out the hopelessly map-blind.)
On the first try, I scored 94% after 228 seconds, with an average error of 7 miles.
Try #2 was 94% after 163 seconds, with an average error of 8 miles.
What’s your score?
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### Author:  [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/2 "2006-10-26T14:41:30Z")
88% Avg error 22 miles, 244 seconds. It’s been a while since I’ve paid attention to the New England States 🙂
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### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/3 "2006-10-26T14:59:34Z")
88% as well, 32 miles, 320 seconds. I totally messed up on Iowa.
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### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/4 "2006-10-26T15:00:37Z")
96%
AVG Error: 4 miles
Time 168
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### Author:  [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/5 "2006-10-26T15:17:42Z")
96%, 5 mi, 263 sec
Only mistakes were the first 2 states given, New Mexico and Utah, big square states with no natural borders, both of which I placed 70-80 mi off center. What else was I to do?
The relatively slow time was because I was a little too careful about placing the other states.
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### Author:  [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/6 "2006-10-26T15:19:03Z")
100%
Average Error 0 Miles
175 Seconds
But I’ve played before - and I got very lucky in the states it gave me first. I was sure I was going to screw up Missouri, because I got it early, but I happened to hit the right spot. From there, I just got them in the order that I never really had to think about where they went.
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### Author:  [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/7 "2006-10-26T15:19:45Z")
88%, with an average error of 24 miles. Once you’ve got that down, have a look over [here](http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Geography.htm); Africa and Mexico are waiting.
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### Author:  [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/8 "2006-10-26T15:38:34Z")
96%, 4 miles. The two I missed (by a bit) were Nebraska and Kentucky, coming early.
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### Author:  [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/9 "2006-10-26T15:42:21Z")
Good work, **cm**. Coming from NY, I’m curious how you did with Ohio, Iowa, and Idaho. 😉
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### Author:  [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/10 "2006-10-26T15:48:35Z")
68% average error of 268 miles in 468 seconds, the sad thing is, I doubt i’d do much better with a map of the UK and english counties.
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### Author:  [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/11 "2006-10-26T15:48:48Z")
33%, average error of 697 miles. I feel lucky to have got a third of them right, to be honest.
I didn’t realise California was that large.
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### Author:  [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/12 "2006-10-26T17:49:21Z")
If you want a real challenge, go to [SheppardSoftware.com/geography](http://SheppardSoftware.com/geography) and play the “cartographer” version. You have to drag, rotate, and resize each state and place it on the map.
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### Author:  [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/13 "2006-10-26T18:03:55Z")
Score on this depends so much on which states you get first. When your first state is Colorado, you’re pretty much screwed. Still, 90% in 207 seconds, with a 14 mile average error isn’t bad considering I’m not even an American.
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### Author:  [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/14 "2006-10-26T18:14:46Z")
I had to start over after about 15 states because Delaware disappeared when I dropped it outside the window. On the second attempt I got 92% 21 miles and 536 seconds.
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### Author:  [@kurilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurilla)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/15 "2006-10-26T18:54:30Z")
94%, 13 miles average error; 310 seconds.
I messed up on Delaware and Wyoming.
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### Author:  [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/16 "2006-10-26T19:34:55Z")
88%, 14 miles, 317 seconds. The first few were the most difficult since I wasn’t sure where precisely to position the states, which were in the middle of the continent. Once the other states were in place it was easier to see exactly where the others went.
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/17 "2006-10-26T20:11:56Z")
90%, avg. error 10 miles, I think the time was 248 sec. I got a lot of big perimeter states to start with (I think my first four were Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oregon), which made it easier. The only state I placed just plain wrong was Delaware.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/18 "2006-10-26T20:37:19Z")
240 seconds, 98%, average error, 1 mile.
I’ve gotten 100% before.
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### Author:  [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/19 "2006-10-26T20:42:04Z")
92%, Average error 9 miles, 296 seconds. Not bad for a dirty foreigner who was distracted by the baby.
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### Author:  [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-place-all-50-us-states-on-a-blank-map/377965/20 "2006-10-26T20:49:15Z")
[QUOTE=gigi]
88% as well, 32 miles, 320 seconds. I totally messed up on Iowa.
[/QUOTE]
Iowa was my starting point, it’s where I live, and I was still off by a few miles. 🙂
I always reverse Alabama and Mississippi, and the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states have always been a mystery to me. I aced everything west of the Mississippi though!
I got 41 out of 50 (what’s that, about 80%?) with an average error of 33 miles. Pretty sucky.
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