How to play — The Countdown

Quick instructions to start playing the puzzle game. Scroll for examples, tips and troubleshooting.

Quick start

Click Generate Numbers to create the six numbers you will use to solve the target number.
Click Get Target Number to generate the target number.
Click Start Game to begin the timer and open the workingout areas.
Use the on-screen keypad to build equations in the input box. Press OK (or Enter) to submit your equation.
The result of your equation will be displayed in the console where you will be able to use the number to help solve the target.

Rules

You may only use numbers that appear in the console (generated random numbers and the results from your equations).
When you create a result, that result is added to a pool of available numbers that can be used in later steps.
Once you have used a number it then becomes unavaiable (unless you undo your equation making the number availble to use again).
Allowed operators: addition +, subtraction -, multiplication *, and division /.
Parentheses and decimal points have been removed from the keypad, making calculations simple and easy to perform.
The goal is to reach the target number before the timer runs out.

Examples

Generated Random Numbers: 2, 3, 3, 5, 50, 60
Generated Target number: 58

      3 + 3 = 6   → add result 6 to the pool of available numbers
      6 + 2 = 8   → add result 8 to the pool of available numbers
      8 + 50 = 58   → target reached!

      5 + 3 = 8   → add result 8 to the pool of available numbers
      50 + 8 = 58   → target reached!

Input & console behaviour

The game uses one input box which resets each time you submit a calculation. The result from your calculation will appear in the console, below the target number
All results are kept in the console so you have a history of attempts.
If you enter a number that isn’t available, an Error message will appear in the console area. Your previous result will re-appear once you submit your next successful equation.