crazy game shows

Crazy Game Shows and Competitions Crossword

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Nothing makes you feel like a champion quite like winning a competition. This is a fact that seems to apply to every person on the planet. Everybody wants to be a winner. When the prize is decent, the fight is on and people will go to extremes to win. But sometimes, it doesn’t even matter what the prize is; the glory is as good as gold. After all, human beings are competitive creatures and each culture has its own flair. The result of this human behavior often manifests in some outrageous game shows and competitions. 

From blowing a cockroach into an opponent’s mouth to trying to out-eat a bear, some strange games have made it onto our screens; this crossword puzzle was created to pay respect to the odd, fun, and fascinating. Let the games begin!


1. In Japan, they have a game show where two contestants try to blow a BLANK into the other person's mouth. Atomic bug. Starts with 'C'.
2. The name of the popular Japanese game show BLANK stands for Most Extreme Elimination Challenge.
3. Simon Cowell became a household name thanks to the show, American BLANK.
4. Due to legal and cultural schematics, the money given to the winner of The Great British Baking Show amounts to BLANK.
5. American game shows are usually competitions based on strength, endurance, skill, or knowledge. Plus, America loves a good BLANK show. Starts with 'T'
6. WB Superstar was a singing competition with a twist; it was all about finding the BLANK singer in America.
7. Hurl was a game show from the BLANK. In it, contestants would have to endure multiple nauseating challenges and try their best not to vomit. Unsurprisingly, it only lasted for one season.
8. Man vs. BLANK was a show where animals and humans would separately compete in a series of challenges. Both the person and competing animal would be given equal advantages to determine an honest winner.
9. In one episode, Sprint Athlete Shawn Crawford raced a BLANK. In another, Gymnast Marshall Erwin competed in a hanging challenge against an orangutan.

Game Shows in Japan

The Japanese strive for excellence and perfection in all that they do and this pursuit is known as ‘Kaizen’. However, the pursuit of perfection can be quite exhausting; game shows are one way to relieve the pressure. Get ready because it’s about to get a bit gnarly…  

During this game show, contestants are shown different items that they have to bite. Many of them are just ordinary items, such as the corner of a table. But, many have been replaced with realistic-looking candy. You never know if you are about to try to eat some candy or a regular door handle.

American Game Shows

American game shows are usually competitions based on strength, endurance, skill, or knowledge. Plus, America loves a good talent show. Some people like to watch a singing or dance competition for the high-level performance that comes from competition. But sometimes watching a bad singer perform is more fun than watching a good one. Created with the intention of ‘laughing with’, WB Superstar was made to appeal to those looking to cringe. 

Man vs. Beast was a show where animals and humans would separately compete in a series of challenges. Both the person and competing animal would be given equal advantages to determine an honest winner. In one episode, Sprint Athlete Shawn Crawford raced a giraffe. In another, Gymnast Marshall Erwin competed in a hanging challenge against an orangutan. 

Feature Image from the game show “Hurl”.

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