Why is question 69 just a question mark?
Item 69 is a joke about the number. It is a "?" because the number says the rest.
How long has it been there?
The Rice Thresher traced it back to at least the 1998 version, where item 69 was already just "?"[1]. It survived the 2012 rewrite[2], which makes it one of the longest-lasting items on the list.
What does it mean?
Officially, nothing. It is a wink at a sex position with the same number. On our list the act itself has its own item (38), so the "?" is free to stay a joke.
Should you tick it?
There is no rule. Some people tick it because they get the joke, some leave it, some decide by what they did in item 38. On this site a tick there costs one point like any other, so the choice is yours.
Other in-jokes in the test's history
- The 1988 version told you to add two points for any question you did not understand[1].
- The 2008 version saved its last item, the worst act on the list, for not washing your hands after using the restroom[1]. Our item 100 keeps the joke.
Frequently asked questions
What is question 69 on the Rice Purity Test?
A single question mark. It is a joke on the number 69, and it has no official meaning.
Does ticking question 69 lower your score?
On this site, yes, by one point, like any other item. On other versions it depends on how the site counts it.
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