It’s easy to set up your own personalized game

Sitting around the table after a big meal is my favorite part of Thanksgiving. But this year, I’m planning to make it even more fun with a game. 

You can create a party game just for your family and guests, with questions like “Who is the most likely to sneak down for a midnight snack?” or “What is the secret ingredient in Grandma’s pumpkin pie?” Or create your own trivia around a favorite subject, like a favorite sport or an upcoming family vacation spot. The game allows up to four people to play, or for larger groups you can make teams.

Blueprints lets you create your own game in a few easy steps. Here’s how it works.

1. Go to the Alexa app and tap More
2. Under Skills & Games, tap See More and scroll down to Blueprints.
3. In the header menu, tap Fun and then scroll down to select Trivia. Then on the next screen, tap the blue box that says Make Your Own.
4. You’ll see a few sample questions and answers, to get the structure. You can tap into the blue field to erase the sample question, then type in your own. Then in the next lines, you can add between 2 to 4 answers. Tap the check mark next to the correct answer; when it turns blue, you know it’s active.
5. You can also add an optional Follow-up fact. When you’ve entered your questions and answers, tap Experience in the upper right.
6. Here you can customize how the game is played, from the words Alexa says when she opens the game to individual player greetings and the sound played for correct responses. (I’m a fan of the cheering crowd myself.) You’ll also set up sounds like a buzzer for incorrect answers, and select the image that will appear on the screen during the game. Then tap Name in the upper right. 
7. Here, create the name you’ll use to open the skill. Make it something you’ll easily remember, like Thanksgiving Trivia. Then tap Done.
8. Lastly, tap Create skill in the upper right to finalize it. It may take a few minutes to set up. You’ll know it’s done when the blue circle on the app stops spinning. Then, on the big day, say the magic words and you can all play the game around the table while you’re finishing the pumpkin pie!