14 QUESTIONS · NO TIMER

Patterns & Rules

Cycles, transformations, and precise rules: work out the next step without guessing the author's intention.

Find the useful constraint

A finite sequence can fit many different invented formulas. That is why these puzzles supply the transformation or cycle explicitly. Write down each operation in order. For alternating operations, record which operation comes next; reaching the right current number does not ensure the next operation is correct. For repeating cycles, divide the position by the cycle length and use the remainder.

Slow down at the decision

Before choosing, restate what the question actually requires. Separate a condition that must hold from a detail that merely sounds familiar. Try each choice against the complete rule, rather than stopping at the first plausible answer. A counterexample can eliminate a confident guess faster than a long calculation. These rounds have no countdown: reading the explanation is part of the experience, not a penalty for a mistake.

A fair challenge

Each question provides its assumptions and has one intended answer. Pattern questions state their rules instead of asking you to guess an author's private pattern. Probability questions specify what is random and what information is known. Use the explanation to identify the exact step that changed your answer. Then try a fresh round; recognizing a principle in a different situation matters more than memorizing an answer letter.

YOUR NEXT FIVE

Can you figure these out?

Five puzzles. No timer. An explanation after every answer.

This guest round is not saved. Create an account to save future rounds and revisit the puzzle types you miss.