# Skill Testing Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 5, 1999, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573 "1999-11-05T17:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drollman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f04885/32.png) [@drollman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drollman)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 1999, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/1 "1999-11-05T17:51:00Z")
Why must winners always answer “a skill testing question?” Has anyone ever lost a prize becuase they got the skill testing question wrong? * * * With God as my witness, I thought turkey’s could fly. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/2 "1999-11-06T06:17:00Z")
Do I win if I get this right? * * * **Dopeler effect:** The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/3 "1999-11-06T06:22:00Z")
There are different laws in some locations covering “games of chance” vs “games of skill”. If a contest is essentially random then it is a game of chance. My asking the winning ticket holder a “skill” question (which is usually something like “Who is the President of the United States?” or “What is 2 + 2?” it becomes a game of skill and thus under different laws. I suppose it is possible that someone could fail the “skill” portion, but I think that the question would be easy enough that anyone who realized that they had a winning ticket would be able to pass the skill portion. Again, this varies by location. Some places/countries require it, others don’t. * * * “Drink your coffee! Remember, there are people sleeping in China.” Dennis Matheson — [dennis@mountaindiver.com](mailto:dennis@mountaindiver.com) Hike, Dive, Ski, Climb — [www.mountaindiver.com](http://www.mountaindiver.com) ---
**Author:** ![OldBroad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@OldBroad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldBroad)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/4 "1999-11-06T06:24:00Z")
Has to do with the legal issues that differentiate a “sweepstakes” from a contest. Perhaps one of the attorneys on the board can elaborate. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/5 "1999-11-06T00:49:00Z")
The skill testing questions are only required in Canada, which bans sweepstakes. They’re usually pretty simple (Add 5 + 7 + 15). By asking the question the sweepstakes technically requires some skill to win, which evidently satisfies Canadian law. ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/6 "1999-11-06T02:15:00Z")
So… do any _Canadians_ ever win? ::GD&R:: ---
**Author:** ![BigRoryG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@BigRoryG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigRoryG)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 1999, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/7 "1999-11-06T22:11:00Z")
Hey Nickrz, frankly, that was a rather shit headed comment. everybody knows that Canadians are smarter than Americans. Feel free to move this post to the BBQ pit. Just out of curiosity anybody know why sweepstakes are baned up here? ---
**Author:** ![ravenous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4491bb/32.png) [@ravenous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ravenous)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/8 "1999-11-07T07:58:00Z")
ROFLMAO. Maybe they were attempting to ban them but someone made a boo boo? Not that smart after all? ---
**Author:** ![mr\_john](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@mr\_john](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_john)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/9 "1999-11-07T17:48:00Z")
Games of chance are outlawed in Texas, cept for the state lottery. I might be wrong ( who said that? how did sumbudy else get in my posting) but sweepstakes are considered games of chance if the entrant has to give something of value to enter ( this does not include postage, just value to the holder of the sweepstakes) most of the free sweep stakes include some ‘test of skill’ thats what you are doing when you paste " i do not want to subscribe " on the lil circle. or paste your favorite car color.etc. Hey , Nick, don’t take that guff from Big rory, what do canadiens know about barbeque? Back bacon with cream of lichen sauce? * * * “Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.”-Marx ---
**Author:** ![Bubba\_blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bubba\_blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bubba_blue)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/10 "1999-11-07T20:44:00Z")
Apparently, there’s one small part of the brain that controls the ability to do mathematical calculations. (Since multiplication isn’t as important a trait on the evolutionary scale as, say, walking, humans don’t seem to have been provided with a backup system.) I’m waiting for somebody with damage to that specific part of the brain to win one of these contests, not be able to do the ‘simple’ addition, lose, and sue the bejeebers out of the company involved. Of course, I might be partial to the idea because I have that kind of damage. And yes, it sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 1999, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skill-testing-questions/4573/11 "1999-11-07T23:54:00Z")
Guff? I didn’t see any guff. Oh… that “shithead” comment? I thought that was kinda funny. Rory might have been having a bad day.