The Five-Round Daily Format
Every day, TempusGuessr Gazette presents five rounds. In each round, you see three headlines — all from the same year, anywhere between 1800 and today. These aren’t actual newspaper clippings; they’re historical facts written in headline style, sourced from Wikidata. Your job is to read all three and guess the year.
You can type your answer or use the slider. Once you confirm, the game reveals the correct year, your distance from it, and the source behind each fact. The same five rounds are given to everyone worldwide, resetting at midnight Brasília time (UTC−3).
Scoring: How the 3.3-Point Penalty Works
Each round is worth up to 100 points, so a perfect day scores 500. Guess the exact year and you get the full 100. For every year you’re off, you lose roughly 3.3 points. That means:
| Years off | Points earned |
|---|---|
| 0 | 100 |
| 3 | 90 |
| 6 | 80 |
| 15 | 50 |
| 30+ | 0 |
The cutoff is sharp: at 30 years off or more, the round scores nothing. So even a rough guess can earn partial credit, but you need to stay within three decades to bank any points at all.
Step-by-Step: Playing Your First Round
- Open the daily challenge — no account needed.
- Read all three headlines carefully. They may cover wars, discoveries, works, or notable moments in famous lives.
- Type a year or drag the slider to your guess.
- Confirm your answer to see the actual year, your point total, and the source for each headline.
- Repeat for the remaining four rounds.
After the fifth round, you’ll see your daily total. If you’re signed in with Google, your history and streak are saved across devices.
Tip: The game’s own advice is to combine the clues. One headline might be tricky, but the other two can help you narrow down the period. Read all three before locking in your guess.
Using the Archive to Catch Up
Missed a day? No problem. The Archive contains every challenge since the game launched, and it’s completely free. You can go back and play any past round at your own pace. This is also a great way to practice without the pressure of the daily reset.
Challenging a Friend
At the end of any completed game, you’ll see a “Challenge a friend” option. It generates a link that sends your friend the same five rounds you just played, along with your score as the target to beat. They’ll play the identical set, making the comparison fair.
Quick FAQ
Do I need an account to play?
No. You can play without signing up. A Google sign-in is optional and only used to keep your history and streak on any device.
Are the headlines from real newspapers of the time?
No. They are historical facts written as headlines for the game. The source of each fact appears after you guess.
Why does the game start in 1800?
Before 1800, there are far fewer well-known facts per year, which would make rounds nearly impossible to solve. Older facts appear in TempusGuessr’s Timeline mode, which goes back to 1500.
When does the new challenge come out?
Every day at midnight Brasília time (UTC−3). Everyone plays the same rounds on the same day.
Now that you know the rules, scoring, and how to catch up or challenge friends, you’re ready to take on the Gazette. Read the headlines, combine the clues, and aim for that 500-point day.
