One Sound. One Guess. One Winner. Every Week.
🏆 How Winners Are Chosen
Each week, we compare all submitted guesses to the correct answer by using a fuzzy matching algorithm — so close variations, typos, and similar wording still count.
All entries are time-stamped and stored securely. The winner is the first person to submit a valid guess. We keep a full list of all correct guesses and when they were submitted. So if you're confident, it’s worth guessing early. But if you're unsure, you can hold off until Wednesday or Friday when clues are released — just know you’re trading speed for accuracy.
Fuzzy matching assigns a score out of 100 to each guess based on how close it is to the correct answer.
- All guesses with a score of 90 or higher are considered correct.
- Among valid guesses, the earliest correct entry wins.
- If no guesses score 90 or above, we lower the threshold and award the prize to the closest guess below 90 — starting with the highest-scoring guess submitted earliest.
- There is one winner every week — no ties, no rollovers.
📣 How Winners Are Contacted
Once a winner is selected, we reach out directly — no delays, no gimmicks.
All entries with contact information are time-stamped, so we know exactly who guessed what, and when.
- The person with the earliest valid guess is contacted by phone.
- If there’s no answer, we’ll try again five minutes later.
- Still no answer? The win is passed to the next correct guess, based on submission time.
- Once a winner picks up, the prize is theirs — simple as that.
⚠️ Important: Make sure you use a valid phone number when entering.
If we can’t reach you, you can’t claim the prize — even if your guess was correct and first.
🎁 How Prizes Are Delivered
Once a winner answers the phone and confirms their identity, we arrange prize delivery directly.
- A secure claim form is emailed to collect prize and bank details.
- Cash prizes are paid into the winner’s nominated bank account.
- Physical prizes are shipped directly to the winner’s nominated address — no extra steps, no shipping fees.
- Gift cards are emailed to the winner.
🔐 Who Knows the Sound?
Every mystery needs a secret keeper. For The Weekly Sound, that’s James— our founder and the only person who knows the answer each week.
He creates the sound, writes the clues, and keeps it all completely under wraps. Not even the team knows.
To keep things 100% fair:
- James is the sole creator and editor of each week's mystery sound.
- Clues come directly from him, crafted to match the sound — no outside input.
- No one else — not staff, not sponsors — ever sees or hears the answer beforehand.
- The correct answer is only uploaded into our fuzzy matching system after entries close.
- Until then, the mystery stays sealed — no leaks, no foul play, no funny business.
It’s one of the ways we make sure the game stays fair, fun, and genuinely unpredictable — just the way it should be.
🎯 How to Enter
Entering is simple:
- Listen to the sound posted on Mondays at 11am Pacific Time.
- Submit your guess using the official entry form at theweeklysound.com
- One guess per person, per week.
- Clues are released mid-week and end-of-week to help you out.
- We only accept guesses through the official entry page — no DMs, no email replies, no exceptions.
- Entries close at 11am Pacific Time every Friday.
🚫 Multiple Entries
To keep things fair, only one entry per person is allowed each week.
Since each guess must include a valid phone number for prize contact, we use this to verify unique entries.
➡️ Anyone found submitting multiple entries will be automatically disqualified.
Make it count — one guess, one shot.
✅ Eligibility & Rules Summary
Summary:
- Open to U.S. residents aged 18+
- One entry per person, per week
- No purchase necessary
- Entries close at 11:00 AM Pacific Time every Friday
How do I know this isn’t fake?
We get it — the internet is full of scams. But this isn’t one of them. Every winner is real, and every prize is actually sent. You’ll see weekly winner announcements.
Do I have to buy anything to play?
Never. The Weekly Sound is 100% free to enter.
Can I enter more than once?
Nope. Just one guess per person each week. Anyone submitting multiple entries will be disqualified.
Can I change my guess after submitting it?
No — once your guess is submitted, it’s final. So make sure you’re confident before hitting enter.
What if I mistype my answer?
That’s where fuzzy matching comes in. We account for close spelling and wording — you won’t be penalized for a typo.
What if multiple people guess correctly?
The earliest valid correct guess wins — not chosen at random.
What happens if two people guess the same correct answer at the same time?
Guesses are time-stamped to the second. If two valid guesses come in close together, the earliest one wins.
What happens if no one guesses the sound?
There is always one winner every week. If no guess scores high enough, we select the closest guess using our fuzzy matching system.
How do I know if I guessed right?
You won’t find out until the winner is announced — we keep things suspenseful! But clues throughout the week help you narrow it down.
How long do I have to respond if I win?
You must answer the phone when we call. If you don’t answer after two calls, the prize goes to the next valid guess.
What if I miss the call when I win?
We’ll try calling again five minutes later. If there’s still no answer, the win goes to the next correct guess.
Can I win more than once?
Absolutely. If you guess correctly in future weeks, you're eligible to win again.
Do I have to guess as soon as I hear the sound?
No — but remember, the earliest valid correct guess wins. Some players guess right away, others wait for clues.
How do I get clues?
Clues are sent via email and SMS. They will also appear on our website and social channels.
How often can I expect clues?
We send two clues each week — one mid-week on Wednesday, and one final clue on Friday morning.
Is my personal information safe?
Yes. We only use your info to contact you if you win or send game-related updates. We’ll never sell or share your data.
Can I unsubscribe at any time?
Absolutely. But if you do, you’ll stop receiving clues — and that could hurt your chances of winning. By entering again in a new week after having unsubscribed, you will become resubscribed for email. For SMS, you'll be resubscribed if you opt-in again.
Do I need to follow you on social media to win?
Nope — social is just one of the ways we share updates and clues. All you need to do is enter on the official page.
What kind of sounds do you use?
It could be anything — from everyday noises to obscure audio clips. We keep it fun, challenging, and always fair.
What’s the best strategy to win?
There’s no perfect formula — but guessing early if you’re confident, paying attention to clues, and being quick to answer your phone definitely help.
Can I participate if I’m outside the U.S.?
Not at this time. The Weekly Sound is currently only open to U.S. residents.