Tiles flash in order; you tap them back in the same order. Each level adds one more step to the sequence — the classic test of how much pattern your brain can hold.

How to play

1. Press START. Level 1 begins at once: one of the nine tiles on the 3×3 grid lights up yellow.
2. While the chip at the top says Memorize, taps are ignored — just watch the order.
3. When the lights stop, the grid dims and a 3·2·1 countdown runs (0.7 s per count). Use it to replay the path in your head.
4. When the chip switches to Your turn, tap the tiles in the same order. A correct tap flashes green.
5. Finish the whole sequence and the next level starts 0.8 s later: the same sequence with one more tile added, shown again from the beginning.
6. One wrong tap ends the run. The tile you pressed turns pink, the tile you should have pressed lights yellow, and the result screen appears.

Rules and scoring

Grid	3×3, nine tiles
Starting length	1 tile; one tile is added per level, so the level number equals the sequence length
Flash duration	About 0.5 s at level 1, shrinking by 0.018 s per level down to a fixed 0.26 s from level 15 on; 0.16 s gap between tiles
Answer time limit	None — take as long as you need during your turn
Mistakes allowed	Zero; the first wrong tap ends the game
Score	The number of levels you completed. Miss on a 9-tile sequence and your score is 8
Result message	13+ "superhuman working memory", 10–12 "top-tier", 7–9 "above average", below that "practice helps"
Leaderboard	Higher level ranks higher; ties share the same rank. You need at least level 1 to submit

The newly added tile is never the same as the tile immediately before it, so you will not see the same position twice in a row; everything else is random, and every run generates a fresh sequence, so memorizing past games does not help. Your personal best is stored in this browser, and from the result screen a nickname of up to 12 characters puts you on the global top 10 — no account needed.

What it measures

This is a test of visuospatial working memory — holding positions and order at the same time. Most people hit their wall around level 7–9; double digits puts you in the top tier.

In cognitive psychology the same ability is measured with the Corsi block-tapping task, in which an examiner taps a set of wooden blocks in sequence and the participant taps them back. This app moves that task onto a lit 3×3 grid, the same idea that made the electronic toy "Simon" popular in the late 1970s. Think of it as the visual counterpart to the digit span test, which probes verbal (phonological) working memory instead.

How to climb higher

Don't memorize tiles one by one — memorize the path. Chunking the sequence into a single motion ("zigzag down from the top-left") buys you several free levels, and saying positions out loud stacks verbal memory on top of visual memory.

• Number the tiles. Treat the grid like a phone keypad, 1 to 9, and the pattern becomes a string such as "7-5-3-1" that you can rehearse verbally.
• The front is old news. Each level repeats the previous sequence and adds one tile. Verify the familiar part quickly and spend your attention on the new last step.
• Use the countdown. Tracing the path in the air with a finger during 3·2·1 adds motor memory to the mix.
• Don't rush your turn. There is no timer while you answer, so confirming each tile before tapping cuts down on slips.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a time limit when I answer?

No. During your turn you can think as long as you like. Leaving for the title screen or another scene, however, ends the run.

Why do the flashes get faster?

Each tile stays lit 0.018 s less per level, from about 0.5 s at level 1 down to a fixed 0.26 s from level 15 onward. Longer sequences plus faster flashes are what make double-digit levels hard.

Where is my record saved?

Your personal best lives only in this browser's local storage, so it will not appear on another device or browser. Leaderboard entries are stored on the server under your nickname; there is no sign-up or login.

Can I challenge a friend?

The share link on the result screen carries your level. When a friend opens it, the title screen shows "A friend reached level n" and they play under identical conditions.

What happens if I fail at level 1?

Missing the very first tile gives a score of 0 with the message "Just a warm-up, right?" and no submit form. Press Try again and a new run starts immediately.

Related tools

Try number memory or the N-back test — free, no install, nickname-only leaderboards.

• Digit Span Memory Test — the same working memory measured with strings of digits; find out whether you are a visual or a verbal rememberer.
• N-back Test — a harder working-memory task where you must keep updating what you hold.
• Dynamic Vision Test — read a number that flies past; a test of memory from a split-second glance.
• Reaction Time Test — pure reflexes, no memory involved.