Bizz buzz (also known as fizz buzz, or simply buzz) is a group word game frequently encountered as a drinking game. Players take turns to count incrementally, replacing any number divisible by three with the word "bizz", and any number divisible by five with the word "buzz".
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Players generally sit in a circle. The player designated to go first says the number "1", and each player thenceforth counts one number in turn. However, any number divisible by three is replaced by the word bizz and any divisible by five by the word buzz. Numbers divisible by both become bizz buzz. A player who hesitates or makes a mistake is either eliminated or must pay a forfeit, such as taking a drink.
For example, a typical round of bizz buzz would start as follows:
1, 2, Bizz, 4, Buzz, Bizz, 7, 8, Bizz, Buzz, 11, Bizz, 13, 14, Bizz Buzz, 16, 17, Bizz, 19, Buzz, Bizz, 22, 23, Bizz, Buzz, 26, Bizz, 28, 29, Bizz Buzz, 31, 32, Bizz, 34, Buzz, Bizz, ...
Different divisors can be used in place of, or in addition, to 3 and 5, and different words or gestures can replace "bizz" or "buzz". For example, in Australia a variant based on the game of cricket is played. In this variant, the special numbers are 4 and 6, which are replaced with the cricket umpiring gestures for their respective scoring plays. A common version of the game in Israel is called "7 Boom". The players replace every number divisible by 7 or containing the digit 7 with "boom".
Instead of replacing numbers that have 3 or 5 as a factor, the game can be played by replacing numbers containing the digit 3 or 5 with "bizz" or "buzz".
1, 2, Bizz, 4, Buzz, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Bizz, 14, Buzz, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, Bizz, 24, Buzz, 26, 27, 28, 29, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz Bizz, Bizz, Bizz Buzz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, 40, 41, 42, Bizz, 44, Buzz, ...
In these variations, sometimes only the actual digit is replaced, so 23 becomes "twenty-bizz" and 50 is "buzzty". This variation can be combined with the original to form an even more challenging sequence:
1, 2, Bizz, 4, Buzz, Bizz, 7, 8, Bizz, Buzz, 11, Bizz, Bizz, 14, Bizz Buzz, 16, 17, Bizz, 19, Buzz, Bizz, 22, Bizz, Bizz, Buzz, 26, Bizz, 28, 29, Bizz Buzz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz Bizz, Bizz, Bizz Buzz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Bizz, Buzz, 41, Bizz, Bizz, 44, Bizz Buzz, ...
The game can be played in a mathematical base other than 10. For example, playing in base 5 would proceed as follows:
1, 2, Bizz, 4, Buzz, Bizz, 12, 13, Bizz, Buzz, 21, Bizz, 23, 24, Bizz Buzz, 31, 32, Bizz, 34, Buzz, Bizz, ...
More challenging variation has the direction of play change on Bizz or Buzz, but not on Bizz-Buzz. For certain sequences, this makes the action bounce between 2 or 3 players and causes misplays when it breaks out. The 3/7 version of the game has a complex sequence between 12 and 18, for example. A New Jersey variation is just to say buzz on prime numbers and switch directions. The reversal of direction may be optional.
One variation has expanded to such an extent as to have its own related name. Many of the above rules are the same. In this case, the number 3 becomes Bizz, 5 becomes Buzz, and 7 becomes Woof. The main rules in this game are that any number that contains the number or is divisible by that number is replaced by an occurrence of the word. If the number has 2 instances of that number (i.e. 33 or 55) and is divisible by that number, then the word is said three times in this example. The additional rule is that the words (if more than one occur) must be said in the order given in the title. For example:
1, 2, Bizz (3), 4, Buzz (5), Bizz (6), Woof (7), 8, Bizz(9), Buzz(10), 11, Bizz (12), Bizz (13), Woof (14),Bizz Buzz Buzz (15), 16, Woof (17), Bizz (18), 19, Buzz (20), Bizz Woof (21), 22, Bizz (23), Bizz (24), Buzz Buzz (25), 26, Bizz Woof (27), Woof (28), 29, Bizz Bizz Buzz (30) ...
Bizz Buzz has been used as an interview screening device for computer programmers.[1][2] Creating a list of the first 100 Bizz Buzz numbers is a trivial problem for any would-be computer programmer, so interviewers can easily sort out those with insufficient programming ability.