?SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox ? The co-executive producer has been with Survivor since its very first days (and, alongside Probst, is one of only four people to still be working on the show to date). His job is to conceptualize, create, and execute every challenge in a season. But he's not alone in his mission, flanked by a team equal parts resourceful and creative. One of them is Christopher "Milhouse" Marchand, who, after arriving on the scene during Season 24, has risen in the ranks to become a challenge producer (as well as the head waiter for any Applebee's reward on the island).In honor of Survivor 50, premiering with a three-hour episode on Wednesday, Feb. 25, Parade sat down with Kirhoffer and Marchand to get their list of their top 50 challenges through the years. And it's only appropriate, given Kirhoffer's penchant to name his works after rock songs, that they span the Survivor catalog. Some are classics, used time and time again, and contributing to some of the most iconic moments in the show's history. Others are one-hit wonders, used in a specific instance before being sent to the "challenge graveyard," seemingly for good.Of course, picking a favorite child — or even 50 favorite children — was an impossible task for Kirhoffer and Marchand. Even during our conversation, they would occasionally chime in with honorable mentions of ones who did not make the list (shout out to "Wrist Assured," which Probst seems to be demonstrating in the Survivor 50 trailer, and the one-time human-sized table maze "Weight and Sea"). But, as always, they rose to the challenge.Here are the Survivor team's Top 50 challenges. Each entry includes a description of how it works, courtesy of the thorough work by the "Survivor Wiki," as well as insights from Kirhoffer and Marchand. As Probst is wont to say, "Let's get it on!"
Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 50
The Top 50 Survivor Challenges
50. Hitch a Ride
The 'Survivor: Ghost Island' cast participates in 'Hitch a Ride'Courtesy of CBS
What they say: Kirhoffer was most drawn into this challenge by the mechanism of the winch and giant spool. Though he admits, while running it the first time, as the players ran out onto the floating platforms, "I was nervous that somebody was gonna take it on the chin."Adds Marchand, "It's also interesting from when you do it the first time, and then to when you do it the last time we did it, the changes the Art Department made in terms of making sure that rope doesn't get messed up. We did it the first time, we see the mistakes that we made in the past. And then they change and make a better mechanism. So in Season 36, you see everything was flawless. It didn't catch at all."
49. Bob-Bob Buoy
(L-R) Tom Westman, Katie Gallagher and Ian Rosenberger participate in 'Bob-Bob Buoy'Couresty
What they say: It only makes sense that the war-themed Palau ended with an epic battle of endurance. Tom Westman and Ian Rosenberger unbelievably hung onto those buoys for almost 12 hours, a Survivor record that has since been unmatched. Scheduled to take place on the day of the wrap party, Kirhoffer was perhaps the most surprised by the fact that the two men hung in there for nearly half a day."We tested it with Dream Team. We tested it ourselves," he recalls. "It's like, 'Oh my gosh, this is uncomfortable.' It never went over two hours. And then it went four hours, five hours, six hours. Like, 'Oh no, bring out some lights.' It was heart-wrenching." But it's fitting the challenge would have an unconventional ending, considering its unusual name. The title comes from famous Howard Stern producer Gary Dell'Abate, affectionately nicknamed "Baba Booey." According to Kirhoffer, Dell'Abate was a big Survivor fan at the time and had actually become friends with Probst. To commemorate the dedication, production gave him a framed photo of the challenge's original drawing, the artist's rendering, and a still of the final, record-breaking product.
48. Sumo at Sea
The 'Survivor: San Juan Del Sur' cast participates in 'Sumo at Sea'Courtesy of CBS
What they say: Next up is another challenge sprung out of Palau's theme, one of the many examples of one vs. one physical bouts across Survivor history. Throughout its five instances, we've seen a number of notable moments, including hairdresser Coby Archa defeating self-proclaimed "redneck" James Miller, Coach Wade flipping off Probst after being disqualified from the challenge, and a number of family members taking each other on across the two Blood vs. Water seasons.Kirhoffer affirms what's been assumed by fans a while ago: The show has strayed away in recent years from physical years and violent challenges. Not to mention the three-tribe conventions of the new era have not made for a structure that is, much like the Villains tribe, far from clean.
47. Jail Break
(L-R) Tina Wesson, Laura Morett and Katie Collins participate in 'Jail Break' in 'Survivor: Blood vs. Water'Courtesy of CBS
What they say: "Jail Break" is one of the most-used challenge elements across Survivor's 25+ year history, being used in both tribal and individual challenges, as well as on Redemption Island and the Edge of Extinction. But the desire to build a pole "long enough and strong enough" has some surprising inspiration from Kirhoffer."I remember we did a whole prisoner theme thing in Thailand," he says. "And then I thought back to the old Otis the drunk in The Andy Griffith Show, when he tried to get the key off the wall." And who said scripted shows didn't have their impact on reality TV?!
46. Blind Maze
(L-R) Jerri Manthey, Parvati Shallow and Russell Hantz all reach the end of the 'Blind Maze' in 'Survivor: Heroes vs. Villaiins'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Each contestant is blindfolded and must make their way through a maze whilst accomplishing given tasks (typically collecting medallions). Throughout the maze, raised signposts with Braille insignias help to point the castaways in the direction of items or the end of the maze. The first contestant to accomplish all the required tasks and reach the end of the maze wins the challenge.What they say: Kirhoffer and Marchand both use this entry as a shoutout to all mazes that they've used throughout Survivor history. But the specific instance they highlight is the final challenge in Heroes vs. Villains, which ended in a pulse-pounding fashion with a tight three-way finish between Parvati Shallow, Jerri Manthey and Russell Hantz. "The odds of that happening were so astronomical," says Kirhoffer. "To go around blindfolded, get all of your things except for the final one, and then they all converge." Adds Marchand, "That's one of the ones where the contestants made that one great."
45. Dizzy challenges
The 'Survivor: Tocantins' cast competes in a dizzy challengeThe 'Survivor: Tocantins' ca
How it works: Whether it be tribal or individual, the goal is the same. Get the castaways as dizzy as possible, whether by their own merit or someone else's. They then have to navigate an obstacle course in their addled state.What they say: There have been a number of dizzy challenges in Survivor's. Though Kirhoffer particularly shouts out the Tocantins version, where players ran out with a rope to whip their tribe members viciously around a spinning platform. Much like the game proper, he loves to upset the castaways' equilibrium and have them go from, as he puts it, "zero to drunk." As for Season 42 winner Maryanne Oketch's theory about how spinning the other way could undo the dizziness, Kirhoffer firmly debunks that theory.
44. Blind Leading the Blind
The Ometepe tribe on 'Survivor: Redemption Island' participate in 'Blind Leading the Blind'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: One castaway from each tribe would work as a caller, directing their blindfolded tribemates in collecting items spread out in a field and returning them to their tribe's designated area. Once all of the items have been gathered, a second portion of the challenge (typically a puzzle) would occur. The first tribe to complete this portion of the challenge would win.What they say: It all started with Doritos, a Mountain Dew picnic, and Colby Donaldson throwing a bucket of water onto Jerri in frustration. From then, a challenge staple was born: The ability to both showcase trust in your tribe members, but also put the pressure on one particular person to deliver. Over the years, new elements have been added, drenching the blindfolded castaways in water and even corn.
43. Snakes and Ladders
The vertical maze in 'Survivor: Vanuatu'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Navigating a vertical maze, the castaways had to collect eight bags of puzzle pieces. After collecting all of the bags, they must arrange them to spell out "Final Three". The first person to do so wins.What they say: Sometimes all you need to bring a challenge to the next level (literally) is a change in perspective. During production of Vanuatu, Dan Monday, a production manager at the time, approached the challenge crew with a new idea. Take the maze, which had been used as a concept since the second season, and simply turn navigation vertical rather than horizontal. The result: One of the most interesting aesthetics for a challenge, and one that fans are calling upon to return to this day.
42. Rats in the Rigging
The challenge site of 'Rats in the Rigging' in 'Survivor: Pearl Islands'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: The challenge took place at the wreck of an old Spanish galleon. The castaways again ran in pairs, with the winning pair in each heat moving on to the final round. In the final round, each pair would have to run the same course, but now collect bags of puzzle pieces along the way, then use the pieces to solve a puzzle.What they say: One of the things that makes Pearl Islands incredibly unique is its commitment to the season-long pirate theme. That includes "Rats in the Rigging," which involved building an entire replica of a Spanish ship. It marked one of the biggest challenge builds for the show to date. But one of Kirhoffer's fondest memories isn't from the build, but the testing. Then-Dream Teamer Jordan Ferrer had ran the challenge, swung across the rope, got hit in his own personal "treasure chest," and went down in pain. He's still laughing about it to this day.
41. Bermuda Triangles
The 'Survivor 46' cast competes in 'Bermuda Triangles'Courtesy of C
Related: Jeff Probst Reveals ‘Survivor’ Live Reunion is Returning for Season 50
40. Turn the Cage
The 'Survivor 49' cast competes in 'Turn the Cage'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Each tribe will be trapped within a cage, which they will have to physically carry to a series of stations, where they will collect a number of items. Once the tribe has collected all its items, it will complete a final task.What they say: A similar concept, and similarly punny name of "Cage Against the Machine," began in Island of the Idols. But, in the new era, the team decided to turn the page on "Turn the Cage," bringing the battle into the water. Given the communal physicality involved, Marchand reveals that, in testing these types of challenges, they have to make sure not to use the strongest group of Dream Teamers, trying to simulate a group that has disposed of their muscle before hitting the course.
39. Squatty Probst
The 'Survivor: Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers' cast competes in 'Squatty Probst'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Castaways must stand in a squatting position, releasing the safety from their apparatus, holding up an urn of water above a fire. Should they stand too high, their urn will spill, extinguishing their fire. If they go too low, a flag will release, eliminating them from the challenge. The last castaway standing wins.What they say: Contrary to popular belief, this grueling endurance challenge is not named after the viral "Squatty Potty." Instead, it's actually in homage to Scotty Probst, Jeff's brother. Scotty spent a number of years working in Survivor production, in everything from video editing to camera work. So, when a new reminder to never skip leg day was born in Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers, the crew decided to honor one of their own.Surprisingly, this challenge has only been used twice so far, something Kirhoffer credits to the placement of postmerge endurance challenges. "It is very, very physical," he reasons, "which is fine when there's a lot of people left. But as you get down to fewer and fewer people, challenges need to be less and less physical and more level across the playing field."
38. Simmotion
'Survivor 42' contestant Romeo Escobar competes in 'Simmotion'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Each castaway, usually with one hand tied behind their back, must drop a ball into a metal chute. The ball will travel down a spiraling metal track and exit out of one of two points (a turnstile gate in the middle of the track causes the balls to come out at alternate exits). The castaway must catch the ball and drop it back into the chute at the top. At designated intervals, an additional ball is added to the track until the maximum amount of balls are simultaneously in play. If a ball exits the track and is not caught at any time, the castaway is eliminated from the challenge. The last person standing wins.What they say: According to Kirhoffer and Marchand, "Simmotion" will probably stay in the challenge rotation for the rest of Survivor history. It's simple in concept, yet complicated in execution. It's not a test of physical endurance, but mental acuity. And it serves as a test of core skills required to win the game of Survivor: Timing, multitasking and keeping your eye on the ball. And it all stemmed back to a pet project from crew member Simon Ross."Simo started off as a production assistant on the show," says Kirhoffer. "Then he was an art assistant. And then he worked in the pyrotechnics welding department. Now he's a production designer. And he is the guy who designs all of our challenges, and his crews build our challenges. "But back in China, he was a welder, the gas fitter in charge of the fires and everything at the Tribal Council. We used to do this art party every year, where people just made an art project. And so he made this little roller coaster for marbles that would switch directions and stuff. He made Simmotion. And he called it Simmotion. We were playing with it and playing with it that night. And then Dan Monday went, 'What if we made a big version of this?'"
37. Roll With It
(L-R) Jesse Lopez, Cassidy Clark and Mike Gabler compete in 'Roll With It' in 'Survivor 43'C
How it works: One castaway from each tribe would be strapped into a wooden spherical cage and would guide two of their blindfolded tribemates in rolling the cage through a course. At the end of the course would be a labyrinth-like table maze. The castaway inside the cage would then have to guide two or four blindfolded tribe members in solving the table maze. The first tribe to finish the table maze would win.What they say: Ever wonder how those giant Survivor boulders are made? Kirhoffer reveals that it's simply a matter of constructing a series of intersecting metal rings, then covering the outside with fiberglass. And sometimes inspiration comes from the oddest places — in this case, looking at one of the spheres mid-construction."At some point in Samoa, we were looking at these big rings, thinking, 'What if you got inside? What if you put somebody inside this sphere?' And then we came up with the footholds and the straps, and decided, 'Okay, now we can roll somebody inside a sphere. But they can't move, they can't do anything. But they can see and they can speak.' So it kind of organically developed."
36. Rolling Stones
The Boran tribe competes in 'Roll With It' in 'Survivor: Africa'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Tribes must work to navigate a large boulder through a series of checkpoints, whilst accomplishing small tasks along the way (such as climbing the boulder to collect keys). The first tribe to get their boulder onto their designated pedestal wins the challenge.What they say: When the art department isn't creating spheres to roll people around in like a human gyroscope, this is the final product. These giant balls have become a staple of the new era, most prominently used in the first team challenge at the merge. And, as revealed by Marchand, they were to be part of the opening of the original version of Survivor 41 before the pandemic sent production into hiatus. But it got the ball rolling (literally) all the way back in the African savannah."It was a friend of mine named Steve Graziani," Kirhoffer says about the stones' origin. "He was one of the original challenge guys on American Gladiators. And I worked with him on a Mark Burnett show called Combat Missions. This guy was brilliant. We called him 'The Genius.' But Steve got all kinds of challenge ideas, and he just was sketching on a napkin. And he goes, 'Remember Raiders of the Lost Ark, where they're running away from that boulder?' And that's how that thing was born.""Rolling Stones" is not only a test of teamwork, but also Newton's First Law of Motion. In the early days of Survivor, Kirhoffer would test the challenges himself. And, in this example, he accrued significant abrasions on his shoulder while trying to stop the boulder. But that was nothing compared to the actual run, when contestant Kelly Goldsmith got pushed into a thorn bush. While the briars have not remained through 25 years, the balls have.
35. Beyond the Tuna
The Kama tribe participates in 'Beyond the Tuna' in 'Survivor: Edge of Extinction'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Three tribe members sit in a boat, which is tethered to four other members. The swimmers must get the boat to a tower, where the three passengers will collect three sets of keys. The swimmers must then get the boat to a platform, where they must use the keys to release puzzle pieces, which they must then use to solve a puzzle. The first tribe to solve their puzzle wins.What they say: Kirhoffer credits a surprising source as inspiration for the first part of this challenge: Jack LaLanne. One core memory he has of the fitness guru was him celebrating his 70th birthday by pulling 70 boats single-handedly. So, when brainstorming innovative ways to start a water challenge, he came up with the idea of using castaways instead of oars.The also puzzle, meant to be built while hanging in the air, is actually an homage to the challenge team themselves. Kirhoffer and Marchand are both fishermen, and use the little downtime they have during filming to take advantage of the illustrious amount of sea creatures around them, namely huge yellowfin tuna. One day, the two were greeted with a statement from art department head Zac Jensen, "We've got a puzzle for you." And he produced the true catch of the day: A hanging puzzle shaped like a tuna straight out of the ocean.
34. Smash and Grab
Andrea Boehlke competes in 'Smash and Grab' in 'Survivor: Caramoan'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: A given number of tribe members must swim out to a platform and climb up to a high platform. They take a club and jump out over the water, attempting to smash a tile that holds a key. Upon retrieving the key, they return to shore and the next contestant begins the circuit. Once all keys have been retrieved, the remaining tribemates use the keys to unlock a box and complete the final phase of the challenge: either a puzzle or a carnival throwing game.What they say: When Survivor went to the Cook Islands in Season 13, Kirhoffer decided it was time for the challenges to go to new heights — literally. The result: A thrilling leap off a platform and the image of an exploding tile. Plus, filming in the stunning turquoise waters of the South Pacific provided a nice image of the keys floating to the bottom of the ocean. After Caramoan, the challenge chose to swap out the tiles, instead opting to grab a key out of the air. But, after nearly 20 seasons away, Survivor 45 saw the return of the original "Smash and Grab." Seeing those clubs delighted executive producer Matt Van Wagenen, and dismayed tilemakers everywhere.
33. I Hold On
The 'Survivor: One World' contestants compete in 'I Hold On'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Each contestant holds onto a rope whilst leaning out over a pool of water and balancing on a small platform. At designated intervals, the contestants will be lowered, increasing the angle at which they hang over the water (either by moving their hands down the rope, or by a crank automatically lowering them). The last person holding on wins the challenge.What they say: Endurance challenges are usually carefully calibrated to each individual based on their frame and stature. But sometimes all you need is your own body weight and the forces of gravity. That's the concept of this grueling arm workout, which has been around since Nicaragua. Kirhoffer and Marchand's preferred version, though, has the players holding onto the rope behind them, leaning over the water, as if looking out over the precipice of a building. That, plus the concept of Probst operating a crank like a medieval torture rack.
32. When It Rains, It Pours
The 'Survivor: Winners at War' cast compete in 'When It Rains, It Pours'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Castaways will have one arm above their head with their wrist tethered to a bucket of water on top of a platform. The castaway who could stand there the longest without tipping the bucket would win. At random points during the challenge, the host may tempt the contestants with food items. They would get the food item only if they step down.What they say:Mike O'Sullivan is a venerated reality TV producer, having worked on such acclaimed shows as The Amazing Race, Big Brother, and The Mole. But he started in Survivor's earlier seasons, where he came up with a rather unique endurance challenge. The iterations of "When It Rains, It Pours" through the years have spawned a number of iconic moments, from Parvati Shallow's impressive display of stamina to Teresa Cooper's joyful rendition of "Tomorrow." And Kirhoffer says there's a reason why those giant buckets haven't returned for some time."It's really difficult. It's a very sensitive build," he says. It's super fun, but it was really frustrating. It's so much work. And then the reset takes so long when it goes off. So we've kind of put that to rest for now."
31. Teeter Tower
Michaela Bradshaw competes in 'Teeter Tower' in 'Survivor: Game Changers'Courtesy of CBS
Related: First Look at ‘Survivor 50’ Reveals Mystery Cast Members — and Celebrity Guests (Exclusive)
30. Haulin' Oats
The 'Survivor: Cagayan' cast competes in 'Haulin' Oats'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: One member of each tribe would act as a caller while two other blindfolded tribe members would navigate the course to retrieve five items and a flag, eventually working with a third blindfolded tribemate to hoist the items up to the caller's platform.What they say: When Survivor reached its 28th season, Kirhoffer and company decided to literally elevate the classic blindfold challenge by adding a platform and a lift. Up to that point, the show had taken a page out of America's Funniest Home Videos in obscuring the contestants' vision, delighting in those who would trip, stumble, and walk into crotch-high fenceposts. But things turned from silly to serious during Worlds Apart, when the elevator used to carry the items smashed down on Kelly Remington's head. While she was immediately treated by the medical team, this version was put in the graveyard for good.
29. Muddy Waters
The setup for 'Muddy Waters' in 'Survivor: Philippines'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: The contestants are divided into equal teams. One at a time, they race through an obstacle course. They crawl under a low cage (or walk across a series of balance beams), clamber up a steep slope and slide down into a mud pit. They then search for a bag of balls buried in a designated mud pit. Upon retrieving the bag of balls, the contestant crawls under a wooden bar by digging through a pit of rice. Upon reaching the mat, the next teammate may begin the course. Once all teammates have reached the end, the balls must be thrown into a narrow tube about as high as a basketball hoop. The first team to sink all their balls into the tube wins the challenge.What they say: When Survivor used to travel on a seasonal basis, they would often times take inspiration from the unique environment around them. And anyone who played in the Philippines would tell you there was a lot of rain, and a lot of mud. So the team simply took advantage of the terrain, putting in one specific modification to make sure nobody left the challenge site clean."It was the first time we came up with the slide we made where we'd make the cover over the slide," Kirhoffer explains. "When you climbed up the ladder, you couldn't turn around, you couldn't go feet first. You had to go headfirst into the mud." It's a trope that has carried through, almost meme-ably, to this day.
28. The Survivor auction
Jeff Probst at the 'Survivor 47' AuctionRobert Voets/CBS
How it works: It's the auction, duh! But for the uninitiated, players are given a select amount of money to bid for items provided by Probst. The items can span from comfort foods (with the occasional bat soup) to letters from home to game-changing advantages.What they say: Sure, it may be odd to call the auction a "challenge." Though technically, it does usually occupy the space for a Reward Challenge in an episode. And the challenge team is technically in charge of coming up with the items that will be up on the auction block, as well as the order in which they appear. But, as Marchand explains, it's truly one of the biggest "all-for-one" projects for the Survivor crew."Almost every single department on Survivor has to come together at some point in the auction," says Marchand. "Accounts needs to get the money. Catering needs to get the food. We've got to get them there with Marine. We need to organize the order in which things are going to happen. There's story involved with the producers. Everyone has something to do. For me, it's one of the most stressful challenges we do."
27. Buggin' Out and Tucker'd Out
The 'Survivor: Borneo' cast competes in 'Buggin' Out'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Coloquially known as the "Gross-Food Eating Challenge," castaways must eat a variety of native, usually gross foods, often racing against the other tribe.What they say: For years, people have erroneously believed Survivor is simply "that show where people eat bugs." And the origin of that myth stems back to "Buggin' Out." The Immunity Challenge from the second-ever episode has the castaways getting some much-needed protein in the form of live butod, or bug larvae. Gervase Peterson proceeded to lose the challenge single-handedly for his tribe, failing to get it down in time. And when the Borneo castaway returned in Blood vs. Water, the team took the advantage of the opportunity to give him another bite of the butod (which went about as well as expected).Kirhoffer's personal favorite gross food eating, however, occurred in Season 2. "Tucker'd Out" upped the ante, as the players spun a wheel between a variety of delicacies and "delicacies." The tension going into the challenge was whether Kimmi Kappenberg, an avowed vegetarian, would lose things for her tribe. But fate was on her side that day, as she had to eat merely a worm to guarantee the win.
26. Quest for Fire
The Bayon tribe competes in 'Quest for Fire' in 'Survivor: Cambodia'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Tribes will have a vehicle (usually a raft) fitted with a fire cauldron and two torches. The tribes will use the torches to light a series of torches or woks both on land and in the water. All members must have their hands on the raft at all times. The first tribe to reach the finish wins.What they say: You never forget your first. And, with fire representing your life, it's only appropriate that Survivor's opening challenge involves the players retrieving and maintaining a flame. But as Kirhoffer recalls, the trial by fire was literal."I remember being more stressed out than ever," he says. "I can't remember a time being more stressed out than being there getting all these lit. There's woks of fire, very low tech. There was no propane. We had rags soaked in kerosene at a bunch of different places. We knew they would last for 10 minutes, and so we had to go get people and light them all up. Then we gave them all little hand torches that would last 10 minutes. And they had to light all these torches and come to shore and do it. "And our director, all of us, we're like, 'We have to do this at sunset. It has to be done at sunset because this is a sunset challenge. The lighting of the fire, everything's gonna be awesome at sunset. And we're out in Borneo, and there's a storm coming in. We can see it coming in. We can see the lightning. You can hear it. It's like, 'Oh crap, we have no backup.' It's a fire challenge, and rain is coming. And I prayed and prayed and prayed. "The Jeff said the classic line that I'll never forget in my life. There's a storm approaching. 'Waterproof matches and immunity on the line. Survivors ready? Go!'" "It was such a basic little race," he concludes. "We would never do something like that now. There's no endgame; once you're ahead, you're ahead. But it set a tone for Survivor, and so I will always have it in my Top 50."
25. Operation Balance Build
Adam Klein competes in 'Operation: Balance Beam' in 'Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: The castaways have to attach a small wooden bowl to a prong at the end of a long pole to maneuver it through a metal structure that sits on a spring. Once they have the piece through the structure, they have to set it at the top of their stack. The first castaway to stack all their bowls on top of each other, or have the most bowls stacked by the end of a specified time limit, wins.What they say: "Operation Balance Build," the final challenge of One World, marked the first official collaboration between Kirhoffer and Marchand. And the former admits, at that point in his tenure, he felt a bit on an island himself."The season I hired him, I completely marginalized him," he says. "I sidelined him for the first couple of months because I was so freaked out that my friend Dan Monday and Nick Bernick had left, my creative partners. And I didn't even give him a chance. I was like, 'Hey, go kill some pigs, and we'll eat 'em.""That happened," corroborates Marchand.Eventually, enough time has passed (or enough pork was eaten) for the two to have a late-night brainstorming session over wine and cigars. Over the course of one evening, the two had formulated about half the season's challenges, including this one, which brings the childhood game "Operation" to the beach, lest you touch the sides and let your progress perish.
24. On Shaky Ground
The Final 3 of 'Survivor: Kaôh Rōng' compete in 'On Shaky Ground'C
How it works: While standing on a wobbly balance beam, castaways must attempt to stack six sets of balls between sets of stands using a fork. The first person to finish their stack and return to their table without the stack falling over wins. What they say: Up next is another classic endgame challenge, testing balance and steadiness in a do-or-die situation. Most recently, however, it's known for Survivor 45 contestant Jake O'Kane exasperatedly stomping on the shaky frame out of frustration. Kirhoffer was shocked at the time, saying, "It's not a trampoline!" The frame snapped, breaking the prop, and Jake was given the rare challenge disqualification as a result.
23. TLP O-Course
The men of 'Survivor: Nicaragua' burst through brick walls in 'TLP O-Course'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Castaways must race through a series of obstacles, including hay stacks, brick walls, net crawls, etc. Along the way are several checkpoints where keys or balls would need to be collected. The first tribe/team to finish the course wins.What they say: Dubbed the "Three Little Pigs," Kirhoffer declares this is to be his favorite obstacle course in Survivor history. In line with the fairy tale, the players had to run through a gauntlet of hay, sticks and bricks to blow the house down and knock the socks off their opponents. The only issue was, as fantastic as the image of bursting through a brick wall is, the Kool-Aid Man effect requires consistently stacking and restacking them for all the tests and shoots. Good for a Tough as Nails challenge; not so much for Survivor.
22. This Much
Scot Pollard competes in 'This Much' in 'Survivor: Kaôh Rōng'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: With their arms outstretched, the castaways must support two discs against two posts with only their fingertips. If they drop their discs, they are out of the challenge. The last person left standing wins immunity.What they say: The challenge team relies on the preseason wingspan of the contestants to create this excruciating endurance challenge. While it's only appeared three times in Survivor history, its debut was perhaps the most memorable. Two of Kaôh Rōng's biggest heroes and villains, Aubry Bracco and Kyle Jason, went head to head, with the former letting the win slip through her fingertips.
21. Beam Me Up
The Lairo tribe competes in 'Beam Me Up' on 'Survivor: Island of the Idols'Courtesy of CBS
Related: Jeff Probst Reveals How ‘Survivor 49’ Players Were Chosen for Season 50 (Exclusive)
20. You Shook Me
Ben Driebergen plays in 'You Shook Me' in 'Survivor: Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Castaways must stack letter blocks on a wobbly platform to spell out designated words. When returning to their station to collect more blocks, they must first lock in their mechanism. If any blocks fall, they must lock in their mechanism before picking up the fallen blocks, return them to their station, and start over. The first castaway to correctly spell the designated words without any upside-down letters and lock in their mechanism wins.What they say: This final Immunity Challenge from the mind of Marchand is known as the "upside-down U challenge," considering the memorable, yet costly error made by Ben Driebergen during its pilot run. Despite the uniqueness of the challenge, as well as the nifty locking mechanism courtesy of the welding team, it's only been used twice on the show. And Kirhoffer says its rarity is due to leaving things to the literal winds of fate."The wind is intense here," he reveals. "And so we made some stacking challenges that the wind just gets crazy. So for that particular challenge, it's very delicate. Stacking challenges, we still do them, but less and less and less and less. Because my stomach and my heart can't handle the stress."
19. A Bit Tipsy
Jeff Probst observes Joe Hunter (L) play 'A Bit Tipsy' in 'Survivor 48'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: The castaways must hold on to a rope attached to an unbalanced table to keep the table level. They must stack a wooden block on the table and hold on to the rope to keep the block upright. They must then retrieve one of nine wooden blocks from three stations while keeping all the blocks on the table upright. Once the block is retrieved, the castaway would have to stack it on the table and then retrieve the other blocks. Should any of the blocks fall, the castaway would have to return to the table and re-stack the blocks before retrieving any more blocks.What they say: Then again, Survivor isn't tamping down on all stacking challenges. Take, for example, "A Bit Tipsy," another Marchand original. This competition has been used so many times that it has become a bona fide classic. It's even made its way stateside, appearing at various pop-up events for fans to try out. It's also the recurring challenge that has undergone the most revisions. Over the years, we've seen players stack blocks horizontally and vertically. It's popped up in both the postmerge and premerge, with the latter as a frustrating test of camaraderie. They've had to do everything from spell "Immunity" and "Final 3" to solving a puzzle. One incarnation in Survivor 41 even had the castaways navigating a treacherous rocking horse as they tried to keep their chances of survival in balance.
18. Float Your Boat
The 'Survivor: Marquesas' cast competes in 'Float Your Boat'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Survivors must race to remove rocks that are piled up inside the tribes boat, sunken at the bottom of the ocean. Once enough rocks are removed, the tribes would race to bail out the water and paddle to shore. First tribe to reach the finish would win.What they say: Before Survivor players were digging deep, they were diving deep. After watching videos of surfers swimming down to the ocean floor, the chllenge team came up with the idea of outfitting boats with flotation devices in the seats, then sinking and piling them with rocks. While those old-school challenges had players going down dozens of feet, any diving tasks now are only a couple of meters under the surface to avoid any major issues for the less swim-inclined.
17. Water Slaughter
The 'Survivor: Winners at War' cast compete in 'Water Slaughter'Courteesy of CBS
How it works: Members of each tribe would race out in the water to retrieve a ring. The tribe members would then battle against each other to gain possession of the ring and bring it to their tribe's finishing station. The first tribe to score a given number of points wins.What they say: While it's impossible for a parent to pick a preferred child, Kirhoffer admits "Water Slaughter" is one of his favorite challenges of all time. There's a reason it's been used as the opening to three different seasons, a way to build immediate rivalries and show how intense the competition can be. Of course, injuries are always a concern (though less so in the aquatic version of this challenge). But Kirhoffer says Probst always provides the players with logic to self-police."Jeff always explains at these things, 'Hey, you play however you want. But you're going to be asking these people for a million dollars in a month. So you play aggressively, but play fair."Kirhoffer has so much love for "Water Slaughter" that, despite the show's previously-mentioned steering away from physical battles, he's hopeful that the chances of it coming back, much like the life preserver at the center of the challenge, will remain afloat.
16. Last Gasp
The 'Survivor: Palau' cast competes in 'Last Gasp'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: The players must swim under a steel grate and stay above the water. As the tide rises, the players will run out of breathing room. If the fear of drowning becomes too much, that person can bail out. The last person remaining under the grate wins the challenge.What they say: Perhaps the most anxiety-inducing challenges in Survivor history, "Last Gasp" is not a test of physical endurance, but mental. After Caramoan, it seemingly disappeared from the team's repertoire. But Kirhoffer explains its hiatus was due to trying to find the right filming location: Shallow enough for the setup, yet deep enough to have the rising tide serve as the inciting incident for player panic.It wasn't until Season 43 that the team found the perfect spot. And it was right in their own backyard — literally! They realized they could film the challenge in a bay right outside the bungalows where they would stay during filming. All they would need to do to maintain the illusion that they weren't playing at base camp is point the cameras out towards the ocean. The result: The long-awaited return of "Last Gasp," which made history when Owen Knight and Karla Cruz Godoy actually outlasted the tide to automatically win the challenge.
15. Giant Tick
The challenge site for 'Giant Tick' in 'Survivor: Edge of Extinction'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Castaways must race through a giant course, which branches out into several limbs, to collect items. They must then bring these items back to a central island. Castaways would have to collect bags of puzzle pieces, then use the puzzle pieces to solve a puzzle. The first to solve their puzzle wins.What they say: This challenge has taken on many forms since its debut in Borneo. But the concept is everlasting, offering players separate rope courses to navigate outside a central hub. Kirhoffer and Marchand, in particular, shout out the Edge of Extinction version, which had the Final Five doing the entire thing ten feet above the water. While moving away from the land provided a new visual for the precariousness, it unfortunately did not lead to any wipeouts in the ocean as initially hoped.
14. Raise the Roof
The 'Survivor: David vs. Goliath' cast competes in 'Raise the Roof'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Each team must hold up sandbags, each weighing 10 pounds. Every 15 minutes, one member must drop out and their sandbag must be carried by another member. The first person to drop a sandbag loses for their team.What they say: Oftentimes, the best ideas don't need to be about reinventing the wheel, but instead simply tweaking what already exists. When the group decided to turn "When It Rains, It Pours" into a team challenge, the result became "Raise the Roof," a test of not only strength, but strategy. And Kirhoffer surprisingly credits Probst with the mandatory dropout rule."The original thing was just as long as you can go. And it was going pretty long," he describes. "And Jeff Probst is a storyteller. He is a writer. Everything's 'What's the story?' And in that one, it was, 'We need something to comment on.' And then we came up with the idea of handing off the bags."Kirhoffer also reveals that, despite the labor that comes with constructing those giant troughs, he's eager to put in the effort to perhaps make three of them for a return in the future.
13. Air Raid
Abi-Maria Gomes competes in 'Air Raid' in 'Survivor: Cambodia'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: One at a time, members of each tribe must race up a tower and through a series of obstacles. Once they have made it to the top of the tower, they will each take turns launching sandbags with a giant slingshot, attempting to hit targets out in a field. After a target is hit, tribes are required to switch out members, with each member being required to hit at least one target. The first tribe to hit all targets would win.What they say: While filming in Nicaragua, the challenge team was puzzled. They had constructed a giant tower, but they had no idea what the players would do when they got to the top of it. Then Pointon simply said, "What if we put slingshots on the top? How fun will that be?"The answer, evidently, was "very." And what makes it even cooler is the mechanism used to raise a flag when a target is hit, which Kirhoffer outlines is straight out of a Rube Goldberg machine."The target makes a big thundering noise, and the metal quakes," he says. "And on the back is a rubber band to a dowel with a flag and a pool ball just sitting on a ledge. A little pool ball in a dimple on a ledge attached to a string. And when the vibration hits from the sandbag hitting it, it just knocks the ball off. And it pulls a pin, and the flag pops up. It was the simplest mechanism ever. And it just looked so cool. It looked like we had a remote control or something."
12. Arch Madness
The Yanu tribe compete in 'Arch Madness' on 'Survivor 46'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Castaways will complete a series of tasks before using puzzle pieces with letters on them to make an arch. The first to correctly spell the word on both sides of the arch wins.What they say: While I have spent 25 years watching all of these challenges on my screen, getting to visit the Survivor set, I occasionally get the opportunity to run a few myself as part of their testing process. During my trip out to Season 46, I got to try out "Arch Madness," a remarkable test of teamwork, construction skills, and a little bit of spelling on the side.During the production of Survivor 46, this also marked one of the rare challenges that proved to be a struggle for everyone in the cast. All three tribes spent what felt like hours frustratingly dropping their makeshift arches again and again and again. Kirhoffer and crew picked an absolutely genius word to hold over their heads in "Persistence," as they all proved to have very little as the challenge surprisingly wore on.
11. Gatecrasher
The 'Survivor: Cagayan' cast competed in 'Gatecrasher'C
Related: Every ‘Survivor’ Winner: Full List of Champions From All Seasons
10. United We Stand
Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Played in shallow water, each tribe uses a platform attached to a long pole (sometimes assembled in-challenge as a puzzle component) to transfer members of their tribe from one high platform to another. Once these teammates have reached the final platform, all members of the tribe must climb up to a smaller platform and fit onto the tower with their feet above the highest deck to win the challenge.What they say: While it's only been used four times, "United We Stand" is a great showcase of size across the spectrum. The first part relies on either cumulative strength or, as James Clement memorably showed, the brute physicality of a select few. But it all comes down to the final stage, which involves the Survivor equivalent of cramming people into a phone booth. It's a visual microcosm of what the premerge is meant to represent: Despite being competitors of different strengths, only through coming together and forming an amorphous blob of limbs and buffs can you stand above all.
9. Lizard King, Serpent Turf, Gulliver Travels, et. al
The 'Survivor: Thailand' cast competes in 'New Tribe Member'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: This entry is dedicated to any challenge that requires players to carry around a giant stuffed object over and through a set of obstacles.What they say: A 400-pound snake. A 500-pound gecko. A decorated dummy nicknamed "Chuay Gal." These are some of the things castaways have had to cart around as a part of this recurring challenge element. The props at the center of these are a true testament to the Survivor art department, which spends countless hours not only constructing these behemoths, but making sure they are durable enough to survive the wear and tear of castaways pushing and pulling on them.It's unknown when these corpulent centerpieces will show up again — and in what form. But if Kirhoffer could offer a piece of advice, don't try to grab the head and let gravity do the rest."When we did 'Serpent Turf,' and the snake would come over, it's bamboo!" he maligns. "There's a vertical piece of bamboo. You're not going to just slide it over their weight. And they're working against the people that are trying to get it up and over."
8. Hot Pursuit
The Ulong tribe competes in 'Hot Pursuit' in 'Survivor: Palau'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: While harnessed together, the two competing tribes will circle around an oval course (either in shallow water or on land) while carrying a twenty-pound backpack each (or a similar heavy load). Players can drop out of the challenge at will, but they must give their weight to a tribemate before unclipping themselves from the rope. The first tribe to catch the opponent and touch one of their members wins.What they say: The thing about creating challenges on Survivor is that you can be truly struck by inspiration anywhere, at any time. Including a simple walk from one production site to another."We were carrying gear in Palau across a very shallow area," Kirhoffer recalls. "And we were like, 'This is crazy.' And we had this idea for a steeplechase, where one team starts over here, the other starts here, and they have to chase each other. And Dan Monday was like, 'Well, what if they did that in knee-deep water?'"The result: "Hot Pursuit," the most grueling game of tag Survivor has ever seen. Despite being an incredibly lauded challenge, including from production, it has not appeared since Caramoan, which Kirhoffer attributes to a lack of even elevation at the Fijian shores. But what's also interesting to observe is how many elements would be adapted from it into future games. The Gabon version, for example, took place on land, with players carrying a giant snake. That eventually evolved into the central figure in "Serpent Turf." The concept of handing off weight to another tribe member carried on into "United We Stand." So it seems like, even if it never returns, the legacy of "Hot Pursuit" will, for lack of a better term, carry on.
7. Vertigo
The 'Survivor: Micronesia' cast competes in 'Vertigo'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Contestants would stand on the top of a perch over the water. Upon starting the challenge, they would toss a bucket into the ocean and collect water which would then be poured into a bamboo chute, causing a key to rise. Once the contestant could grab their key, they'd jump into the water, swim back to shore and complete one final task.What they say: Despite the aforementioned bug eating, Survivor is not Fear Factor. But "Vertigo" is certainly no joke for people who have a fear of heights, as they stand precariously atop a small and wobbly perch. Kirhoffer uses this challenge to shout out one of the best comebacks in Survivor history during Cagayan. Kass McQuillen-Grace struggled with the pouring, putting her competition far ahead of her early on. But once she got her footing, and made her way to shore, she demolished the puzzle, securing an impressive win with her husband in attendance.
6. Pinball Wizard
Ben Katzman competes in 'Pinball Wizard' in 'Survivor 46'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: Castaways will have to roll a ball up a ramp and into a Plinko board. While the ball is rolling down the Plinko board, they must solve a puzzle, while keeping an eye on the ball. When the ball is close to the end of the Plinko board, the castaways must grab the ball and roll it back up to the top. If a castaway misses catching the ball, they must wait for the ball to roll down to the end of a chute before they can roll the ball back up the ramp and return to solving their puzzle. The first castaway to complete the puzzle wins.What they say: In an act of corporate synergy, the Survivor team turned to The Price is Right to create their own version of Plinko. The challenge first appeared in the premerge of Nicaragua before being adapted into an individual version in Millennials vs. Gen X. But then, after a string of modern seasons that used a handful of the same final Immunity Challenges, they unearthed the Plinko board, blowing it up to epic proportions. And Ben Katzman's surprising win that day proved whether you're deaf, blind, or sleep-deprived, you can still play a mean pinball.
5. Always on the Run
'Survivor: Ghost Island' contestants Wendell Holland (L) and Domenick Abbate (R) compete in 'Always on the Run'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: In pairs, castaways place spools at the top of a series of wooden cascading beams. As the challenge goes on, they must place more spools on the beams. One person must catch a spool at the bottom of the track, or that pair is eliminated. The last duo standing wins.What they say: Merely modifying the size of a classic challenge prop completely changes the scope and skills required to succeed. For example: Giant Simmotion! This Ghost Island variant transforms the classic entirely, now making it more of a physical endurance test as players huff and puff their way up and down the track. There's also the new paired element, which not only puts your fate in the hands of someone else, but also makes the challenge that much longer — and that much more arduous.
4. Get a Grip
The 'Survivor: Cook Islands' cast competes in 'Get a Grip'Courtesy of CBS
How it works: The castaways must hang onto a pole for as long as they can. They may not hold on to the top of the pole to support themselves, but must instead rely on footholds. The last person left holding on without touching the ground wins.What they say: According to Kirhoffer, a Survivor classic was born simply from observing the locals get some food while filming the show's ninth season."We were in Vanuatu, and I remember just watching these these guys getting coconuts," he remembers. "And these local guys would just shimmy up a 60 foot coconut tree and then just hang on, chop coconuts, hang on with the other arm, chop coconuts on the other side. And then they'd hang out up there and just open one up and just look around. And I'm like, 'How strong must they be?'"When Kirhoffer came back to base camp, he pulled Monday aside to immediately test out his idea. They put a couple of crates up against a coconut tree, he clung on, and a new challenge was born. But, if you go back and watch "Get a Grip" in its first couple of incarnations, they look incredibly different than they do now. And that's for good reason."The very first time we did it in Vanuatu, it rained," Kirhoffer says. "So we thought it would be this 20-minute, 30-minute challenge, and it wound up being 15, 20 minutes because it started raining and it got slippery. So the next time we did it in Cook Islands, we overcompensated. We were concerned that it wouldn't go long enough because people were gonna drop that we put ropes in. And then it went three hours. And we learned very shallow handholds are the way to go. We finally got the recipe right."
3. Rise to It
The 'Rise to It' challenge course in 'Survivor: Blood vs. Water'How it works: The castaways race through an obstacle course and a water slide to retrieve six bags of puzzle pieces, two at a time. They then use the pieces to solve a puzzle which would give them clues to solve a combination lock needed to raise their flag.What they say: While Survivor is often cited as a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, much rarer is the opportunity to channel your inner child. Perhaps the closest is flying off of a giant waterslide. That's been the centerpiece of challenges in a number of seasons over the years, including One World and Worlds Apart. But the one Kirhoffer and Marchand remember most fondly is in the final challenge of Blood vs. Water."It was the biggest waterslide we had done," Kirhoffer says. "And we showed everybody, 'You sit on the edge, and then you cross your arms. This is the way to do it safely. Put your feet out in front of you, lean back and go down the slide. Okay, got it?' Boom! They start running, and they're just launching themselves over. Just like, 'Oh, there's nothing that can hurt us here!""Trusting us implicitly," adds Marchand with a laugh.
2. Vin Skully
How it works: The castaways race through an enormous, skull-shaped maze, collecting three bags of puzzle pieces. Once all the bags are retrieved, they race back to their station and solve a vertical puzzle.What they say: The maze has come in all shapes and sizes over 26 years of Survivor. And on occasion, the challenge team has been inspired to theme their labryinth with the (very) big picture in mind. Kirhoffer and Marchand are particularly fond of this Ghost Island version, which had the players moving through a series of turnstiles in what wound up being a giant skull. Sometimes all you need to conceptualize a challenge is a brilliant visual; then you're off to the races.
1. It's a Long Way to the Top
The course for 'It's a Long Way to the Top' in 'Survivor: Caramoan'Courtesy of CBS
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