Equation Guess — Daily Math Equation Puzzle Game

Equation Guess is a free daily math puzzle where you find a hidden equation in six tries. Every guess has to be a true equation, such as 12+46=58, and after each one the tiles turn green, purple, or gray to show how close you are. Play the shared Daily puzzle, unlimited Classic (8 symbols), or Mini (5 symbols, + and − only) for younger players. No account is required.

How to play

1. Choose Daily, Classic · 8, or Mini · 5.
2. Type a true equation that fills every box, using the on-screen keys or your keyboard (digits, + - * / =, or x for ×). Press Enter to check it.
3. Read the colors, then use what you learned in your next guess. You have six guesses.

A guess is accepted only if it is real math. The left side uses numbers and operations, and the right side is a single number. The left side must work out to a whole number of 0 or more, numbers can’t start with 0 (write 7, not 07), and dividing by zero isn’t allowed. If a guess breaks a rule, the row shakes and the game tells you why, such as “That isn’t true: 9×8 = 72, not 70.” Invalid guesses don’t use up a try.

To fix a mistake, press ⌫, or click any box in the current row (or use the arrow keys) and type over it.

Reading the colors

• Green: the right symbol in the right box.
• Purple: the symbol is in the equation, but in a different box.
• Gray: the symbol isn’t in the equation, or you have already used up every copy of it.

Repeated symbols are scored one copy at a time. If the answer has one 4 and your guess has two, only one of them can turn green or purple; the extra one turns gray. The keyboard keeps a color record for each key, so you can see at a glance which digits and operations are still possible. If green and purple are hard to tell apart, switch on High-contrast colors for orange and blue.

Strategy tips

• Open wide. Use a first guess with many different digits and two operations, such as 9×8−7=65. Not sure? Press 🎲 Starter guess to fill the first row with a true equation, then edit it or press Enter.
• Find the equals sign early. Where “=” sits tells you how many digits the answer has. In Classic, an answer after box 6 has two digits, and an answer after box 5 has three.
• Size the answer. A three-digit answer usually means multiplication. A small answer next to big numbers on the left suggests subtraction or division.
• Use purple tiles. Moving a purple symbol to a new box tells you more than repeating it in the same box.
• Hints: 💡 Hint reveals one correct box, choosing an operation or the equals sign when it can. You can use up to two hints per puzzle, and each costs a star.

What it teaches

Every guess is a small arithmetic check, so players practise mental math while they reason. The game uses the standard order of operations: multiplication and division come before addition and subtraction, so 2×3+4=10 is accepted but 2×3+4=14 is not. Players also build number sense by estimating, using place value to work out how many digits the answer has, and checking which combinations are possible. After each game the results screen shows the hidden equation with a step-by-step explanation, for example: “Multiply and divide first (order of operations)”, then “6 × 7 = 42”, then “42 + 15 = 57”. Then it reviews your guesses in a color grid.

Modes and the Daily puzzle

• Daily: one Classic puzzle per calendar day, the same for everyone. You get one attempt; the board is saved, so you can leave and come back. A countdown shows when the next puzzle unlocks at midnight in your time zone.
• Classic · 8: unlimited 8-symbol puzzles with + − × ÷.
• Mini · 5: unlimited 5-symbol puzzles such as 3+4=7, using one-digit numbers with + and −. A good start for younger students.

Optional switches: Accept swapped answers counts a guess as solved when it only reorders the answer, such as 4+3=7 for 3+4=7. Show the answer number displays the right-hand side as a target, which makes the puzzle easier. You earn 3 stars for solving in 3 guesses or fewer, 2 stars for 4–5, and 1 star for 6; hints lower this, but a solved puzzle always earns at least 1 star. Stats are kept separately for each mode: games played, win percentage, current and best streak, and how many guesses your wins took. 📋 Share copies an emoji grid of your result without giving away the equation.

FAQ

Is Equation Guess free? Yes. It runs in the browser on phones, tablets, and computers, with no sign-up.

Can the answer have a negative number or a fraction? No. The final answer is always a whole number of 0 or more.

Does my progress save? Stats, stickers, streaks, and today’s Daily board are saved in your browser on this device.

What should I play next? For more practice with operations, try Make the Number or the Math Trainer.