Rule cHanges
Game 4: June 13, 2014 – Tiebreaker system was added due to listener complaints about 2 winners in Game 3. Tiebreaker will be one clue. Game 3 is the only game with co-winners, until Game 467 happened.
Game 24: October 31, 2014 – First game that started the trend of movies, place, and things. Up until this game most of the items were people, fictional and nonfictional. Blazing Saddles sparked this rule change.
Game 26: November 14, 2014 – First time for listeners to guess on Twitter who will win, the number of points, and with #PowerTrip. The first prize was a $50 Applebee’s gift card.
Game 39: February 27, 2015 – The first time where listeners were attached to the players to win a prize. The first prize given away was a Trip to Las Vegas for 2 people.
Game 65: September 4, 2015 – The first player to ring in gets to answer next. Players used to have to wait until the 5-second timer ran out before ringing in similar to Jeopardy rules. Mark Parrish on the Ewan McGregor item sparked this rule change. Parrish was clearly the second person to ring in and knew the answer. AJ waited the 5 second timer before ringing in, but Mark shouted the answer after Hawk got the buzzer.
Game 66: September 11, 2015 – Tiebreakers now have 3 clues instead of 1 clue.
Game 77: December 4, 2015 - Moving forward, players need to be right up to the microphone and say their name with some gusto. There was controversy of who rang in first, Mark or Sauce. Mark said his name louder than Sauce.
Game 87: February 26, 2016 - Any mispronunciation of an item is a buzzer, period. You have to say the item correctly.
Game 113: August 26, 2016 - Controversial Tiebreaker, AJ said "Mr. Krab" but it is "Mr. Krabs". Cory was quick on the yes trigger but wasn’t able to give Meatsauce and Hawk a fair chance to answer. Solution was to have AJ sit out for the 2nd tiebreaker question but could get back in on the 3rd tiebreaker if Sauce and Hawk did not get the 2nd one. If Cory makes a mistake in a similar situation moving forward, the other 2 people do not get punished. The next tie breaker question will only include the 2 other people.
Game 119: October 7, 2016 - Cory hated admitting Chad Abbott was right, they are now running an instant replay program. If there is a dispute, they are capable of instantly replaying the audio and dissecting it.
Game 184: January 5, 2018 – Announcement of Initials Major. They will happen about 4 times a year. They will have 3 Rounds 10 Items, take place at live audience, and a rube will be drawn to play all three rounds. There will be trophies and a green jacket.
Game 242: February 8, 2019 - First game with new voting rules for listeners. Points don’t matter anymore, just predict who wins Initials Game correctly & use the hashtag #PowerTrip.
Game 307: May 8, 2020 - Introduced "The Initials Jackpot" presented by St. Paul Federal Credit Union!
Each week one caller has the chance to guess the week's Initials. Get both right & you win pot. If there is no winner then the pot rises by $500 each week. Guess one letter, in the right spot & win a $25 gift card.
Game 356: April 30, 2021 - St. Paul Federal Credit Union increased the gift card from $25 to $250 if the caller guesses one letter in the right spot.
Game 24: October 31, 2014 – First game that started the trend of movies, place, and things. Up until this game most of the items were people, fictional and nonfictional. Blazing Saddles sparked this rule change.
Game 26: November 14, 2014 – First time for listeners to guess on Twitter who will win, the number of points, and with #PowerTrip. The first prize was a $50 Applebee’s gift card.
Game 39: February 27, 2015 – The first time where listeners were attached to the players to win a prize. The first prize given away was a Trip to Las Vegas for 2 people.
Game 65: September 4, 2015 – The first player to ring in gets to answer next. Players used to have to wait until the 5-second timer ran out before ringing in similar to Jeopardy rules. Mark Parrish on the Ewan McGregor item sparked this rule change. Parrish was clearly the second person to ring in and knew the answer. AJ waited the 5 second timer before ringing in, but Mark shouted the answer after Hawk got the buzzer.
Game 66: September 11, 2015 – Tiebreakers now have 3 clues instead of 1 clue.
Game 77: December 4, 2015 - Moving forward, players need to be right up to the microphone and say their name with some gusto. There was controversy of who rang in first, Mark or Sauce. Mark said his name louder than Sauce.
Game 87: February 26, 2016 - Any mispronunciation of an item is a buzzer, period. You have to say the item correctly.
Game 113: August 26, 2016 - Controversial Tiebreaker, AJ said "Mr. Krab" but it is "Mr. Krabs". Cory was quick on the yes trigger but wasn’t able to give Meatsauce and Hawk a fair chance to answer. Solution was to have AJ sit out for the 2nd tiebreaker question but could get back in on the 3rd tiebreaker if Sauce and Hawk did not get the 2nd one. If Cory makes a mistake in a similar situation moving forward, the other 2 people do not get punished. The next tie breaker question will only include the 2 other people.
Game 119: October 7, 2016 - Cory hated admitting Chad Abbott was right, they are now running an instant replay program. If there is a dispute, they are capable of instantly replaying the audio and dissecting it.
Game 184: January 5, 2018 – Announcement of Initials Major. They will happen about 4 times a year. They will have 3 Rounds 10 Items, take place at live audience, and a rube will be drawn to play all three rounds. There will be trophies and a green jacket.
Game 242: February 8, 2019 - First game with new voting rules for listeners. Points don’t matter anymore, just predict who wins Initials Game correctly & use the hashtag #PowerTrip.
Game 307: May 8, 2020 - Introduced "The Initials Jackpot" presented by St. Paul Federal Credit Union!
Each week one caller has the chance to guess the week's Initials. Get both right & you win pot. If there is no winner then the pot rises by $500 each week. Guess one letter, in the right spot & win a $25 gift card.
Game 356: April 30, 2021 - St. Paul Federal Credit Union increased the gift card from $25 to $250 if the caller guesses one letter in the right spot.