From the publisher’s rulebook

Who goes first in Chrononauts?

Everyone guesses the current time. The closest guess goes first.

Rule details

This selects the starter for the multiplayer game. Solonauts is a separate solitaire mode with no competing first player.

Source & edition

Chrononauts: Looney Labs rulesLooney Labs · How to Play, opening paragraph; Other Ways to Play Chrononauts; PDF pages 1, 2 · Checked 2026-09-23
PDF page 1 PDF page 2

All 7 Looney Labs starting rules

Image: © Looney Labs · Looney Labs

If there’s a tie

The rulebook doesn’t say.

More starting rules

Browse available game rules

Free game-night tools: score keeper · turn timer · dice roller · all tools

Embed this answer on your site

Copy this HTML into a blog post, forum or game café page. It’s plain text with a link back to this rule, so it works almost anywhere. More embed options

<blockquote class="whogoesfirst-rule" cite="https://whogoesfirst.fun/games/chrononauts-looney-en/">
  <p><strong>Who goes first in Chrononauts?</strong> Everyone guesses the current time. The closest guess goes first.</p>
  <p>Source: <a href="https://whogoesfirst.fun/games/chrononauts-looney-en/">Official starting rule on Who Goes First?</a> (Looney Labs English rules, copyright 2000–2013)</p>
</blockquote>

Found a different instruction in your edition? Send a correction with the game, edition, and source.