Memory
Numbers appear scattered across a board. Click 1 and the rest turn into blank squares. Now click them in order from memory. Each round adds another number.
Results stay in this browser
Choose a mode
Example
Study the positions, click 1, then find 2, 3 and 4 among the blank squares.
Each round is timed from the moment the board is painted until it ends.
Based on a working memory task made famous by studies with chimpanzees in Japan.
The board switches to a tall layout on phones so every square stays easy to tap.
Results stay in this browser only.
Score, strikes, rounds and average round time.
Classic rewards careful study. Timed tests quick snapshots.
The largest set of numbers you cleared in order.
How it is calculatedHighest count completed
Rounds that ended with a wrong click. Three end the run.
How it is calculatedCount of failed rounds
All rounds played, passed or failed.
How it is calculatedCount of rounds
How long rounds took on average, including study time in Classic mode.
How it is calculatedMean round duration, in seconds
These bands are site-defined guidance for adults on a desktop computer or a recent phone. They are not population norms and not a diagnosis.
| Band | Range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Exceptional | 15 or more | A very large memorized set. |
| Excellent | 12-14 | Strong spatial memory. |
| Good | 9-11 | Above a typical score. |
| Average | 6-8 | A common range. |
| Needs practice | 5 or fewer | Try tracing a route through the numbers. |
In 2007 researchers at Kyoto University reported that young chimpanzees trained on a similar task could remember number positions after a very brief glance, in some conditions better than the university students tested.
The finding sparked a lot of discussion about memory, training and how fairly humans and animals are compared.
The chimp test measures visual-spatial working memory: holding several locations and their order at once.
Timed mode adds pressure on encoding speed, because you must take a mental snapshot quickly.
Some people try to hold the whole board as one image. Others trace a route from 1 to the last number and remember the path.
Both work, and many players combine them as the count grows.
Mode matters most, so Classic and Timed scores are compared separately. Screen size, attention and practice also play a role.
Like other memory games, early sessions improve quickly as you settle on a strategy.
In Classic mode you can study the board for as long as you want, but the moment you click 1, the other numbers turn into blank squares. This forces you to commit the whole layout to memory before you start.
It also means your score reflects memory rather than reading speed. Nobody can see the numbers while they are clicking.
Each successful round adds one number, starting from four. A wrong click is a strike, and the same count is repeated with new positions. After three strikes the run ends.
Repeating the count after a strike gives you a fair chance to show what you can do at that level, while still limiting how many mistakes a run can absorb.
The famous chimpanzee results came from animals with extensive training on the task and from very short display times. Later studies showed that trained humans can also improve a great deal.
The comparison is fascinating, but it says more about training and task design than about which species has the better memory overall.
Classic and Timed sessions are kept apart in the comparison on your result screen, because the extra study time in Classic mode makes higher scores easier.
Many players see big gains in the first few sessions and then a plateau. Try changing your study strategy, for example tracing a route instead of taking a snapshot, if you want to push past it.
As always, compare results on the same device, because square size and spacing change with screen width.
Number position tasks are used in comparative psychology and working memory research.
A memorable way to discuss memory, training and how we compare minds.
A fun, short memory challenge with an obvious score to improve.
This is a game based on research, not a clinical memory test.
In Classic mode there is no clock until you click. Use that time well.
Follow the numbers with your eyes in order and remember the path.
Notice which numbers sit together, such as 3 and 4 in the same corner.
After hiding, there is no time limit. A careful click beats a quick strike.
It is a memory game. Numbers appear on a board and you click them in order after they hide.
Numbers appear in random squares. Clicking 1 hides the others in Classic mode; in Timed mode they hide after three seconds. You then click them in order.
Usually two to five minutes.
Yes. Press P, use the pause button, or switch tabs. The round restarts with new positions.
Any modern browser. On phones the board turns tall so squares stay large.
Your score is the most numbers you cleared in one round. Strikes count failed rounds.
On this site 9 to 11 is Good and 12 or more is Excellent. These are site guidance bands.
Use History in the menu. Classic and Timed results are compared separately.
Only in your browser.
Reload the page and start again.
No. Once the numbers are hidden you can take as long as you need to click them in order.
The board has 40 squares, so the maximum is 40 numbers.
Many people clear six to nine numbers in Classic mode. On this site, 9 to 11 is in the Good band and 12 or more is Excellent. Timed mode scores are usually lower.
New positions prevent you from simply remembering the previous board. The count stays the same, so you get a fair second try at that difficulty.
Yes, for most people. Three seconds is enough to glance at small boards, but larger boards need a fast, organized snapshot. Compare Timed results only with other Timed sessions.
Results depend on age, device, sleep, language, mood and practice. Average several sessions before drawing conclusions. This is not a medical or psychological diagnostic tool.
It takes about a minute. Your results stay private in this browser.