Let’s play: “Where is this CSS coming from?”

It’s a 1+ player game that can last from 1 hour to, um, much longer!


This post should be read in a snarky, game-show-host tone.


The game for developers of all skill levels!

Introducing Where is this CSS coming from? an innovative, educational, choose-your-own-adventure game designed to engage developers of all skill levels. In Where is this CSS coming from?, players are guaranteed to get their hands into all sorts of code…most of which is definitely not CSS!

All that’s needed to play is time, patience, a computer, access to large code-base and, ideally, a few co-workers. The total game-play can last from 30 minutes to, um, much longer!

How to play

To begin game-play, assign yourself a Ticket from The Backlog.

The Ticket identifies an issue with the visual display of the website, and you are responsible for fixing it. Begin working on The Ticket independently. Discover a CSS Bug, and identify the solution for the CSS Bug. Fun! Satisfying!

Now is when the game heats up. In order to fix the CSS Bug, you must answer the question: Where is this CSS coming from?

This phase of the game can last anywhere from 5 minutes to, um, much longer! It’s up to you to decide when to ask for help, and recruit your co-workers to join in on the fun. Together, you will figure out exactly where that CSS is coming from!

While game-play generally lasts a few hours and involves a few players, there’s no reason you can’t continue on well past that mark, and involve more of your teammates for more time! Where is this CSS coming from? is an engaging learning and team building experience for junior and senior engineers alike.

The fun doesn’t stop!

Once you complete a round of Where is this CSS coming from?…you’ll dive straight into the popular sequel, How do I build this CSS?


Yes, this post is inspired by a something I did at work. The real life experience wasn’t extreme, and I don’t feel bitter about it! But I do think that, at times, it’s a little astonishing how much it takes to track down where a given bit of CSS is coming from.