Memory game
Turn two cards, find the pairs — alone against the clock or with a friend.
Turn over two cards at a time and find all the pairs in as few moves as you can.or press Space or Enter
Moves0
Time0:00
Pairs found0 / 8
Best time–
Fewest moves–
Your best time and fewest moves for each size are kept in this browser only.
Nothing leaves your device
This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you type, play or record here stays on your device: nothing is uploaded or saved on a server.
Example
Example: how many moves is a good score?
One move is two cards turned, so the fewest possible is one move per pair — which takes luck. A fairer yardstick is a player who never forgets a card: we dealt each board 20,000 times with the game’s own shuffle and played it that way.
- Perfect memory: turn an unknown card; if its partner has been seen, turn that one; if not, turn another unknown card and remember both.
- Even so, the first cards of a game are guesses, which is why the average sits about half as high again as the minimum.
| Cards | Grid | Pairs | Fewest possible | Perfect memory, on average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 4 × 3 | 6 | 6 | 9.2 |
| 16 | 4 × 4 | 8 | 8 | 12.4 |
| 24 | 6 × 4 | 12 | 12 | 18.9 |
| 36 | 6 × 6 | 18 | 18 | 28.5 |
On 16 cards, about 12 moves is as good as a flawless memory gets; finishing near it means you forgot almost nothing. Your best time and fewest moves for each size are kept in this browser.
How it works
- Choose the number of cards, the pictures and one or two players.
- Turn over two cards: a pair stays face up, otherwise they turn back — remember where they were.
- Find all the pairs; beat your best time and fewest moves, or the other player’s score.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you play?
- All cards lie face down. Turn over two: if they match, they stay up; if not, they turn back. Remembering where each picture was is the whole game. One move is two cards turned.
- How does the two-player game work?
- Players take turns. Finding a pair scores a point and gives the same player another turn; a miss passes the turn. Whoever has the most pairs at the end wins.
- Which size should I pick?
- 12 cards suits young children, 16 is a quick game, and 24 or 36 cards are a real memory workout for adults.
- Does it work on a phone or tablet?
- Yes — tap the cards. On a computer you can also use the arrow keys and Enter.
- How many moves is a good score?
- One move per pair is the minimum — 8 on 16 cards — but needs luck. A player who never forgets a card averages about 12.4 moves on 16 cards, 18.9 on 24 and 28.5 on 36.
- Is every game dealt differently?
- Yes: the pictures are drawn at random from the theme’s 24 and shuffled for every game, so remembering the last layout does not help.
- Is anything sent anywhere?
- No. The game runs in your browser and your best scores stay on this device.