About the Ladder Game (Amidakuji)
The ladder game, known in Japan as Amidakuji and in China as the ghost leg, is a simple way to pair people with outcomes fairly. Each player starts at the top of a vertical line and moves down; whenever a horizontal rung appears, the path crosses over to the neighbouring line. Where you end up at the bottom is your result. This online version places the rungs with your browser's cryptographic random generator, so nobody can rig the outcome. Use it to decide who pays for coffee, who does the dishes or who presents first.
How to use
- Choose the number of Players and type the names and results. Quick fill results adds "1 Winner, rest Try again" in one tap.
- Tap a name above the ladder. A coloured line traces that player's path down to a result.
- Start all sends everyone down one after another; Reveal all shows every result instantly.
- To play again, tap New ladder. The rungs are redrawn at random.
Why the ladder game is always fair
However the rungs are placed, each top position leads to exactly one bottom position, so two players can never land on the same result. This tool also makes sure no two rungs touch at the same height and that every pair of neighbouring lines has at least one rung, which mixes the results well.
Ideas for using it
- Coffee or lunch bets: one "Buys coffee", everyone else "Safe"
- Turn order: results 1st to Nth for presentations, chores or games
- Roles: host, note-taker, timekeeper as results
- Gift exchange / Secret Santa: put gift numbers at the bottom
FAQ
Can anyone know the result in advance?
No. Each result box shows a question mark until a player reaches it, and the rungs are placed at random every time you make a new ladder.
How many players can join?
From 2 to 12. With many players, short names (up to about 6 letters) are easiest to read on a phone.
Are the names saved?
Names and results are saved only in this browser, so they are still there next time. Nothing is sent to a server.
How do I share the results?
After a round, tap Copy results in the results card and paste the text into any chat.