Movin' On Up

Blueprint Description[]

In this challenge, the contestant begins with a stack of thirty-nine blue cups, with one red cup at the base. In a test of speed and focus, the contestant must inch the red one upwards by moving cups from the top of the stack to the bottom, using alternating hands. This must be repeated thirty-nine times, until the red cup returns to the position it started in: at the base.

Game Description[]

Player must hold a stack of one color of cups with one contrasting-colored cup at the bottom. Player must move cups one at a time from the top to the bottom of the stack, trying to cycle the contrasting cup back to the bottom of the stack. The game was originally played with a stack of blue cups and a red cup when it premiered in the United States, but in Australia, the two colors reversed, making blue the contrasting color.

History[]

Movin On Up — Mark Staniec goes all out at Movin' On Up.

This is a level 1 challenge with a team version at level 2 requiring both players to do this. This challenge has also been used in head-to-head competitions.

Household Items:[]

39 cups of one color
1 contrasting-colored cup

Set Up:[]

Set up the stack of cups so that there's 1 red cup with 39 blue cups stacked on top of it. When the clock starts, player may grab a single cup from the top of the stack and place it on the bottom of the stack. You can also play this game with a stack of 39 red cups and one blue cup, or any two colors.

Rules:[]

1. Prior to game start, contestant must be in a standing position and holding the stack of cups with both hands only on the contrasting cup at the bottom of the stack.

2. Once game begins, contestant grabs a single cup from the top of the stack, and places it onto the bottom of the stack.

3. Player must move cups, one at a time, alternating hands.

4. If a player completely removes more than one cup at a time from the stack, (whether grabbing multiples, or dropping to the floor) all cups outside of the stack must be placed on the top of the stack before a cup may be placed at the bottom.

EX: If a cup drops but the contestant catches the cup before it falls to the floor, the contestant does not need to reset the cup to the top of the stack. However, it must be caught in the same hand it was moved with originally.

5. To receive credit for placing cups on top of the stack, they must be placed, then the hand placing them removed before they may be touched again.

6. Though players may bend over to pick up dropped cups, the player may not sit, kneel or place the stack on the ground. The game is to be played from a standing position. Any violation of this rule results in a failure.

7. To complete the game, the contrasting cup must be removed from the top and placed on the bottom of the stack AND the entire stack must be held in only one hand via the cup that was first at the base within the 60-second time limit.

Tips & Tricks[]

Get into the zone and concentrate as you get into a rhythm. Use your fingertips or hands, but don't go too fast if you decide to use your hands as you can drop cups and end up wasting time.

One-handed method: This method involves using one hand to continuously move cups from the top to the bottom of the stack. To do this, you would hold the stack of cups in one hand, with the red cup at the bottom. Then, you would use your thumb and index finger to grab a cup from the top of the stack, and place it on the bottom of the stack. You would repeat this process, alternating between your left and right hands, until the contrasting cup has worked its way up to the top and returns back down to the bottom of the stack.
Two-handed method: This method involves using both hands to move cups from the top to the bottom of the stack. To do this, you would hold the stack of cups in one hand, with the contrasting cup at the bottom. Then, you would use your other hand to grab a cup from the top of the stack, and place it on the bottom of the stack. You would repeat this process, alternating between your left and right hands, until the contrasting cup has worked its way up to the top and returns back down to the bottom of the stack.