Tap the number that fills the gap.Pick the missing number, or press 1 to 4. P pauses.
Spot the sequence, pick the missing number, keep the streak alive.
Pattern Challenge is a 60-second number puzzle. Each sequence hides one number: work out the rule and pick the missing number from four choices. Right answers in a row earn bonus points, and every five right answers take you up a level.
Updated
Why you will love it
Learn Pattern Challenge in a minute
Read the numbers, spot the rule, and fill the gap before the clock runs out. It is free, has no ads, and runs right in your browser on a phone, tablet or computer.
How does Pattern Challenge work?
Every puzzle is fair: exactly one of the four choices completes the sequence by any of the rules below.
- Levels: start at level 1 to 4. Every five right answers move you up a level, up to level 4. The dots next to the level show how close the next one is.
- Scoring: a right answer is worth 10 points, plus 2 for each answer in your current streak (up to 20 more), times the level you are on.
- One try: a wrong choice scores nothing and ends your streak, and the next sequence follows. The right answer and the rule are shown, so you learn from it.
- Time: 60 seconds per round. The clock stops while the game is paused or the page is in the background, and the sequence is hidden while paused.
- Records: your best score from each starting level is saved on your device. A round in progress is saved too, and comes back paused if you leave.
The patterns by level
Every sequence gets its own start, step or ratio, so the same puzzle rarely comes up twice.
- Level 1: counting on in steps of 1 to 5.
- Level 2: steps up or down, times 2 or 3, square numbers, and adding the two numbers before (like Fibonacci, from any two starting numbers).
- Level 3: adds cube numbers, prime numbers, two steps that take turns (add 5, take away 2), and steps that grow by 1 each time.
- Level 4: the trickier patterns with bigger numbers, and points times 4.
Tips for a higher score
A quick routine finds most rules in a few seconds.
- Check the steps first: look at the difference between neighbours. If it is the same each time, you have it.
- Then check how the steps change: steps that grow by the same amount, or two steps taking turns, are the next most common.
- Watch for fast growth: numbers that double or triple point to a ratio; 1, 4, 9, 16 and 1, 8, 27, 64 are squares and cubes.
- Use the choices: when you have a rough idea, the choices often settle it. Only one of them fits a rule.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Pattern Challenge and how scoring works.
How many points is a right answer worth?
10 points, plus 2 for each answer in your current streak, up to 20 more, all multiplied by your level. On level 4 with a long streak, one right answer is worth 120 points.
What happens if I pick the wrong number?
It scores nothing and ends your streak, and the next sequence follows. The right answer and the rule behind it are shown first, so you can learn the pattern.
Which level should I start on?
Level 1 is counting on in small steps. Every five right answers move you up a level, up to level 4, so starting low still reaches the harder patterns. Your best score is kept separately for each starting level.
Is there always exactly one right answer?
Yes. Exactly one of the four choices completes the sequence by any of the rules in this guide.
Is my round saved if I leave?
Yes. A round in progress is saved on your device and comes back paused, with the sequence hidden until you resume.
More free games
Something not right?
Tell us about a bug, or a game you would like to see.
Ready to play Pattern Challenge?
Jump straight in, free, ad-free, and no download required.