Sliding Number Puzzle
Classic 15-puzzle: sort the numbers by sliding tiles.
Play now →Matchstick Math
An old calculator equation — but one matchstick is out of place and the math is wrong. Move exactly one stick to make it true. Ninety seconds, no hints: think in sticks.
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Solved
90s
Time left
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Best
Press Start
One matchstick is in the wrong place — move it back!
How to play
- Press Start — a false equation appears in matchstick digits.
- Click a lit stick to lift it; click an empty slot to place it.
- Moving the operator stick counts too (minus ↔ plus).
- When the equation is true you score; a new puzzle appears instantly.
Frequently asked questions
How does Matchstick Math work?
You see an equation built from matchstick digits (like an old calculator display) — but it is false, because exactly one matchstick has been moved. Click a stick to pick it up, click an empty slot to place it, and make the equation true.
What counts as a legal move?
Exactly one stick. Pick it up from a digit or the operator, and drop it into any empty slot — including turning a minus into a plus. When the equation reads true, you score and a fresh puzzle appears.
What is a good score?
Two to four equations in 90 seconds is a solid start. Eight or more means you spot digit transformations instantly — by then you are reading seven-segment shapes like words.
Any tricks for solving faster?
Check the operator first — turning minus into plus is the classic move. Then look for digits that are one stick away from each other (5→3, 6→5, 9→3). Finally, remember a stick can turn a digit into an illegal shape: that is your brain telling you to look elsewhere.
Why seven-segment digits?
Seven-segment display keeps every digit within one-stick distance of a handful of neighbors, which makes single-move puzzles always solvable and instantly recognizable — the same reason they were used on classic calculators.