This short collection of projects - some useful, some instructive, and some amusing - can be made for around 10 UK pounds (16 US dollars). The estimated cost does not include an enclosure (box). All of the projects are battery powered, so are safe to build.

In so many competitive games, such as Snap and various quizzes, the winner is the person who is the first to respond. Too often, this turns out to be the person who shouts the loudest! This is clearly unfair and the aim of this circuit is to decide which of two players was really the first.

Each player has a switch which they press when they think they have a Snap pair or know the answer, depending on the game. Each player has a pair of l.e.d.s, one red and one yellow or green. When the circuit is reset ready for play, the yellow l.e.d.s are turned on. As soon as one player presses their button, their yellow l.e.d. goes out and their red l.e.d. comes on. However, once a player has pressed their button, their opponent’s button is automatically locked out and their l.e.d. stays yellow, even when they press their button.

Many Who Was First? circuits have been published before, but this is believed to be the first one to allow one of the players to be handicapped. This prevents Mum from always being the winner! After the Handicap button is pressed, there is a delay of one second or so before the red l.e.d. comes on. During this delay it is still possible for the opponent to press their button and score. The length of delay can be adjusted to vary the handicap time.