Rules & quick reference
| Board | 8 columns × 5 rows |
|---|---|
| First set | 4 numbered positions |
| Progression | One additional number per completed level; maximum 20 |
| Run ends | 3 strikes; score is largest completed set |
Remember positions before pressing one
At the beginning of a level, numbered squares appear at random positions on an eight-by-five board. Take time to inspect them. Selecting one removes that square and hides the labels on the remaining squares. Continue by choosing the position of two, then three, and so on. Empty board cells are disabled. The task asks you to preserve the relationship between a number and a position after the visible labels disappear.
Levels, retries and strikes
The first level uses four numbers. Completing a set adds one number for the next level. A wrong selection uses one of three strikes and allows you to retry the current level with a new arrangement. The last fully completed set is the score when the third strike ends the run. A perfect run stops after a set of twenty. Between levels, use the explicit next-level button so you can take a short pause before a new arrangement.
What this task can and cannot show
This implementation is a practice game inspired by numbered-position memory tasks. It is not a reproduction of a controlled animal cognition experiment: exposure duration, training, input hardware and testing conditions differ. There is no scientifically justified conversion from its score to intelligence, an animal comparison or a clinical conclusion. Labels are hidden only after the first selection, so unlimited study time before that selection is part of this particular rule set.
Make your own comparisons useful
Try grouping positions into spatial chunks and rehearsing a route, then compare several sessions under the same conditions. Changing screen size alters the physical distance between squares. A touch screen and a mouse also change how you act on the remembered pattern. A hidden tab cancels an active run to avoid preserving a half-finished test across an interruption. Use the visual-memory game for a pattern without ordering, or sequence memory when you want an ordered sequence delivered over time.
Your result stays on this device
Completed game results are saved in this browser when local storage is available. Bests and recent history describe this device’s saved runs, not a public leaderboard. Changing browsers, clearing site data or using private browsing can remove them. Copy score writes only the visible result summary to your clipboard when you request it; sharing is your choice. Clear local game data removes scores, daily completion markers and the saved 2048 board for this origin. No game result is uploaded, and the games remain usable when persistent storage is unavailable. Use the rule table to check what the active mode measures before comparing another session. A changed duration, input method or grid difficulty can change the task even when the displayed score uses the same unit.
Frequently asked questions
When do the numbers disappear?
Immediately after selecting number one, the labels on all remaining active squares are hidden.
How many mistakes are allowed?
Three strikes end a run. A retry stays at the same set size with new positions.
Is this a scientific chimpanzee comparison?
No. The rules and testing conditions are those of this browser practice game.
What is saved as the score?
The largest set of numbers fully completed before the run ends.
Built by Mihai · Reviewed 2026-10-24 · Read the related technical guide · Testing policy