Sometimes all you need is a straight answer. Press the big button and you get yes or no with exactly the same probability – and with Maybe switched on, a third, more evasive answer turns up now and then.
Yes, no – or maybe
With Maybe switched off, the outcome is a clean 50/50 draw between yes and no. Turn Maybe on and roughly one draw in ten lands there instead, while the rest are still shared evenly between yes and no.
Maybe is useful when the question is not really ripe for an answer yet – treat it as a nudge to postpone the decision rather than as an answer in itself.
Use the answer as a test
A well-known trick is to let chance answer and then watch how you react. If you feel relieved, you had already decided; if you feel let down, you now know what you actually wanted. The answer does not have to be followed to be useful.
Frequently asked questions
- How likely is Maybe?
- Roughly one draw in ten when the option is switched on. The remaining draws are split evenly between yes and no.
- How is this different from the Magic 8 Ball?
- Yes or no gives one short, clear answer. The 8 ball gives one of over 30 phrased replies and works better as a game.
