Finding the right person in life can be like assembling the silver monkey in Legends of the Hidden Temple, a challenge requiring wits, luck, and passing knowledge of primate anatomy. Skip the confusing steps of pick-up artistry with today's icebreaking Groupon: for $32, you get to attend an attempt at the world's largest speed dating event, hosted by Groupon and SingleAndTheCity.com (a $100 value) on Tuesday, August 10, from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Slate on West 21st Street. Because animals need love too, a $2 donation to The Humane Society of New York is included in the cost of today's deal. All attendees will be single Groupon subscribers, and in addition to thousands of mingling singles, the event will also include an attempt to break the Guinness World Records' current speed-dating record of 313 participants.

This Groupon gets you entry into the event, which includes:

• "Speed Gaming"—pairings for ping-pong, foosball, and billiards
• "Themed" speed dating for the first 450 registrants
• Free flirt advice from Laurie Davis, founder of eFlirtExpert.com
• "Love & Sex" Tarot Card readings with renowned psychic Maria Pirone
• NYC's own DJ Cisco spinning hip-hop and Top 40
• So You Think You Can Dance Off—Dance Competition
• Complimentary Sauza Cocktail Hour 8 p.m.–9 p.m.
• Light appetizers 8 p.m.–9 p.m., desserts 9 p.m.–10 p.m.
• Professional photography provided by Quinton Jones
• Usnaps.com photo booths to capture behind-the-scenes action
• 500 tickets available for each gender to ensure an even men-to-women ratio

OnSpeedDating.com specializes in crafting speedy dating events to match any time-strapped or highly specific taste. This lash-batting event lets you play the field—as well as fields you've never played before—for a fraction of the time, cost, and guts it would take at a singles bar, airport bar, or sandbar. A one-hour open bar that nourishes nerves and lubricates conversation begins at 8 p.m. Then, an appetizer (8 p.m.–9 p.m.) and dessert bar (9 p.m.–10 p.m.) keeps fainting spells at bay while Slate's 27 pool, ping-pong, and foosball tables invite competitive wooing with paired Speed Gaming. 500 tickets are available for each gender. The first 450 registrants will get the opportunity to participate in a speed-dating session on the night of the event, and "schwag bags" full of fun surprises will be handed out to the last 200 attendees. This event is designed to be open minded and all inclusive, ideal for straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and asexual singles alike.

Slate's moody, romantic lighting, opulent bar, and plentiful seating make an appropriate backdrop for good conversation and introspective leers. Music from DJ Cisco will eliminate the potential for awkward silences, and Laurie Davis, founder of eFlirt expert, will be on hand to deliver advice on how to flirt successfully, which often involves not talking about vampires, knife collections, or mother. So spritz on some pheromones and meet a new love interest, or just kick back and enjoy the awkward laughter of your fellow humans.

Reviews

Though this special event has no reviews yet, the New York Times interviewed OnSpeedDating.com and SingleAndTheCity.com's co-founder in an article in 2009.