This almost 200 years Photography has existed for as long as it has, and it has lost none of its power to fascinate. It allows us to freeze time, to preciously preserve the memory of an era or an event... In a simple snapshot, it connects us much more directly to the last two centuries of history than archaeology, painting or stories passed down from generation to generation ever did.
Photography is therefore a true historical vector, and Which Year surfs on this heritage in a way that is as clever as it is playful. Logos, brands, clothing styles, monuments and other cleverly hidden details become clues for guess when a picture was taken. The site Which Year transforms this little investigation into a captivating game: a daily challenge to share and quickly become addictive. Five photos a day, five years to guess... and not so easy!
Which Year: Guess the year of historical photos
The principle Which Year is inspired by the now essential Wordle : a daily challenge where you will have to find five dates.
To participate, you can enter the year manually or use the cursor under each photo, particularly useful if you are playing on a smartphone or tablet. Each image is zoomable, to track down the slightest clue: a car model, an advertising poster, a haircut... anything goes to refine your investigation.
And if you really get stuck, the game offers you one single helping hand: the option "Reveal Digit" (reveal a number), which reveals one of the four numbers of the year you're looking for. But let's be honest... it's so much more rewarding to find it without help!
Your score then depends on the difference between the year you guess and the actual date. A perfect score—that is, five years guessed perfectly—will earn you 5 000 pointsi.e 1 000 points by correct exact answer.
According to the game's statistics, the majority of players score between 3 and 500 points. If you reach 4 points, you're already among the best detectives... and if you reach 000 points, you're directly in the top 4%!
Challenges are updated every day, in the middle of the day. And if you do get addicted—which you probably will—know that a free play mode should be released soon. In the meantime, you can already dive back into the previous parts thanks to the little calendar at the top right of the photos... enough to sharpen your eagle eye even more!
