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What is Gnoshambo?

Gnoshambo is abstract rock-paper-scissors. Instead of hand gestures, everyone throws a short “shape” — a person, place, thing, idea, or anything else from the pool.

An AI judge compares the shapes and picks a winner, with a brief explanation of why.

How to play

1. Start a solo round in Play, join a Throwdown, or try the Daily.
2. Enter your shape (or pick one when offered).
3. Lock it in.
4. The judge reveals the winner and a short reason.

Shapes & categories

Shapes come from several categories. You’ll see a mix across rounds — classic and wild alike:

• People, places, things, ideas — the classics
• Pop culture — celebs, memes, streaming, fandom
• Fantasy & fiction — myth, magic, story worlds
• Wildcard — short, real-world lateral items (irritations and everyday artifacts) like Hold Music, Autocorrect, Parking Ticket, or Lost Sock. The absurdity lives in the argument, not in invented nouns.
• Global — cultures, places, and ideas from around the world

There’s no “correct” shape — clever, funny, or unexpected often wins.

Modes

Play as a guest

You don’t need an account to jump in. Guest play fully supports solo rounds, Daily Challenges, and Throwdowns — just pick a nickname and go.

Sign in anytime if you want streaks, favorites, and notifications. Your guest play can carry over when you create an account.

Judging

• The judge picks a winner among the shapes in that round.
• Reasons are short on purpose — punchy, not essays.
• Results can feel creative or persona-driven. That’s part of the fun.

Notifications

Signed-in players can get push alerts for things like Throwdown invites, when everyone’s locked in, and when judging is done. You’ll also see an in-app history under Notifications.

Opening the app or reading notifications clears the app icon badge, so you’re not left with a stale count.

On mobile

• Share Throwdown links from your phone — friends can join in the browser.
• Pull to refresh on lists like notifications when something looks stale.
• Toasts appear briefly at the top or bottom; scroll if a button feels out of reach.
• Add Gnoshambo to your home screen for a quicker, app-like experience.

Troubleshooting

Can’t find a lobby code?

Double-check for typos. Codes expire after 72 hours.

Stuck in a Throwdown?

Refresh the page, or tap “Refresh now” in the lobby.

Missing a notification?

Check the in-app Notifications page, and make sure your device allows alerts for the site or installed app.

Badge won’t clear?

Open Gnoshambo and visit Notifications — reading unread items should clear the badge.