Is this the official Countdown numbers game?

No. It is an original game of the same kind, with no affiliation to Countdown or its makers. Puzzles are generated on this page from a seed, not copied from any show or puzzle list, and the rules are this page's own: you choose the operations, every step has to give a positive whole number, and a solver written here checks every puzzle.

Pick a number, then an operation, then a second number: 75, × and 6 make 450. The two numbers leave the table and 450 joins it as a new number you can use once. Keep going until you reach the target, which ends the puzzle at once, or press Submit. Your result is the closest number you were dealt or made, so a number made earlier still counts after it was used. Undo step takes back the last step exactly as it was, and Clear takes back every step. With a keyboard, Tab moves between the numbers and operations, Enter picks one, and while one of them has focus the +, -, * (or x) and / keys choose the operation, Backspace undoes a step and Escape clears a pick.

What are the rules for each step?

Every step has to give a positive whole number. Subtraction takes the smaller number from the larger, so 3 − 8 is refused and the game suggests 8 − 3 = 5 instead, and 8 − 8 is refused because it gives 0. Division has to come out exactly, so 7 ÷ 2 is refused while 8 ÷ 2 = 4 is accepted. Each number, dealt or made, can be used once, and you do not have to use them all.

Does every puzzle have a solution?

Every dealt puzzle does. The game deals 0 to 4 big numbers from 25, 50, 75 and 100, one of each, and the rest from 1 to 10, two of each, then draws the target from 101 to 999 among the values the solver proved those numbers can make with the operations you allowed. Some settings can never reach 101, such as only + and − with no big numbers, and the game says so instead of dealing. Your own numbers may have no exact answer: six 1s cannot make 999, and the solver reports that its search finished, no exact answer exists and the closest is 9.

How does the solver work, and can it miss an answer?

It checks every way of combining the numbers under the same rules you play by. For each group of the numbers it records every value that group can make, building larger groups from pairs of smaller ones, so when it says no exact answer exists, the search has finished. It shows the exact answer with the fewest steps: for 457 from 75, 25, 6, 3, 8 and 1 that is 3 steps. The search also has a limit so it always ends; a six-number puzzle uses a small part of it, and a search that reached the limit would say it stopped rather than report that there is no answer.

How does the timer work?

Puzzles run for 30 s, 60 s, 90 s or 2 minutes, or with no limit. A puzzle stores the moment it ends, so a hidden tab or a reload does not add time, and when time runs out your result is the closest number you were dealt or made by then. Reaching the target stops the clock at once.

Can I play the same puzzle as a friend, or use my own numbers?

Yes. Every dealt puzzle comes from a seed from 1 to 999,999, and the same seed, number of big numbers and operations deal the same numbers and target in every browser. Copy gives a line with the seed, the puzzle and your result, never your working. Under Your own numbers, type 2 to 6 whole numbers from 1 to 100 and a target from 1 to 9,999 to play any puzzle you like; the solver checks it the same way.

Is my game saved, and is anything sent anywhere?

Your settings and your last 30 puzzles, with your working, are kept in this browser only, so you can resume an unfinished puzzle or review a finished one, and Start over at the top of the page forgets them. A timed puzzle keeps running to its end time while you are away. Every step and every search runs in your browser, and nothing you play is uploaded.

Numbers Target Game

Reach a target from six numbers before the clock runs out, one step at a time: pick a number, an operation and a second number, and their result becomes a new number you can use once. Every step has to give a positive whole number, so there are no fractions, no zero and no negatives. Puzzles are dealt from a numbered seed with 0 to 4 big numbers, and the target is drawn from 101 to 999 among the values an exhaustive solver proved reachable, so every dealt puzzle has an exact answer. When you submit or the time runs out, the solver shows its shortest exact answer, or, for your own numbers, says plainly that no exact answer exists and gives the closest. Your last 30 puzzles stay in this browser.

Reach the target with six numbers

Combine the numbers with + − × ÷, one step at a time, before the clock runs out. Every puzzle dealt here has an exact answer.

Every dealt puzzle has an exact answerAn exhaustive solver, not a guessSeeded puzzles you can replayKept in this browser

New puzzle

Big numbers

Operations

Time

Seed

Big numbers come from 25, 50, 75, 100, one of each; the rest are small numbers from 1 to 10, two of each. The target is drawn from 101 to 999 among the values the solver proved these numbers can make, so every dealt puzzle has an exact answer. The same seed, big numbers and operations always deal the same puzzle. Settings apply to the next puzzle.

Your own numbers

Numbers

Target

2 to 6 whole numbers from 1 to 100, with spaces or commas between them, and a target from 1 to 9,999. The operations and time limit above apply. Your own numbers may have no exact answer; the solver then shows the closest one possible.

Worked examples

Numbers 2, 3, 4, target 14+ − × ÷ allowed
(3 × 4) + 2 = 14
The 8 used a second time8 − 1 = 7 first, then 8 + 3
refused: The 8 tile is already used. Each number can be used once, and so can every number you make.
Numbers 1 1 1 1 1 1, target 999the full search
Search finished: no exact answer exists. The closest possible is 9, 990 away, in 5 steps.

How it plays. Pick a number, an operation and a second number: the two numbers leave the table and their result joins it as a new number you can use once. Every step has to give a positive whole number, so subtraction takes the smaller number from the larger and division has to come out exactly. Reach the target and the puzzle ends at once; otherwise Submit, or let the clock run out, and your result is the closest number you were dealt or made. Undo step takes back the last step and returns its two numbers exactly as they were.

Accuracy. The puzzles and rules are this site's own: up to six numbers and a target, each number used at most once, with the operations the puzzle allows, and every step has to give a positive whole number, so subtraction has to stay above zero and division has to come out exactly. The solver tries every way of combining the numbers under those rules, so no exact answer means the search finished and found none, and a search that stops at its limit says so instead. Puzzles are generated here from a seed, not taken from any show or puzzle list, and your history stays in this browser.

Common questions

Is this the official Countdown numbers game?: No. It is an original game of the same kind, with no affiliation to Countdown or its makers. Puzzles are generated on this page from a seed, not copied from any show or puzzle list, and the rules are this page's own: you choose the operations, every step has to give a positive whole number, and a solver written here checks every puzzle.
How do I play?: Pick a number, then an operation, then a second number: 75, × and 6 make 450. The two numbers leave the table and 450 joins it as a new number you can use once. Keep going until you reach the target, which ends the puzzle at once, or press Submit. Your result is the closest number you were dealt or made, so a number made earlier still counts after it was used. Undo step takes back the last step exactly as it was, and Clear takes back every step. With a keyboard, Tab moves between the numbers and operations, Enter picks one, and while one of them has focus the +, -, * (or x) and / keys choose the operation, Backspace undoes a step and Escape clears a pick.
What are the rules for each step?: Every step has to give a positive whole number. Subtraction takes the smaller number from the larger, so 3 − 8 is refused and the game suggests 8 − 3 = 5 instead, and 8 − 8 is refused because it gives 0. Division has to come out exactly, so 7 ÷ 2 is refused while 8 ÷ 2 = 4 is accepted. Each number, dealt or made, can be used once, and you do not have to use them all.
Does every puzzle have a solution?: Every dealt puzzle does. The game deals 0 to 4 big numbers from 25, 50, 75 and 100, one of each, and the rest from 1 to 10, two of each, then draws the target from 101 to 999 among the values the solver proved those numbers can make with the operations you allowed. Some settings can never reach 101, such as only + and − with no big numbers, and the game says so instead of dealing. Your own numbers may have no exact answer: six 1s cannot make 999, and the solver reports that its search finished, no exact answer exists and the closest is 9.
How does the solver work, and can it miss an answer?: It checks every way of combining the numbers under the same rules you play by. For each group of the numbers it records every value that group can make, building larger groups from pairs of smaller ones, so when it says no exact answer exists, the search has finished. It shows the exact answer with the fewest steps: for 457 from 75, 25, 6, 3, 8 and 1 that is 3 steps. The search also has a limit so it always ends; a six-number puzzle uses a small part of it, and a search that reached the limit would say it stopped rather than report that there is no answer.
How does the timer work?: Puzzles run for 30 s, 60 s, 90 s or 2 minutes, or with no limit. A puzzle stores the moment it ends, so a hidden tab or a reload does not add time, and when time runs out your result is the closest number you were dealt or made by then. Reaching the target stops the clock at once.
Can I play the same puzzle as a friend, or use my own numbers?: Yes. Every dealt puzzle comes from a seed from 1 to 999,999, and the same seed, number of big numbers and operations deal the same numbers and target in every browser. Copy gives a line with the seed, the puzzle and your result, never your working. Under Your own numbers, type 2 to 6 whole numbers from 1 to 100 and a target from 1 to 9,999 to play any puzzle you like; the solver checks it the same way.
Is my game saved, and is anything sent anywhere?: Your settings and your last 30 puzzles, with your working, are kept in this browser only, so you can resume an unfinished puzzle or review a finished one, and Start over at the top of the page forgets them. A timed puzzle keeps running to its end time while you are away. Every step and every search runs in your browser, and nothing you play is uploaded.

The puzzles and rules are this site's own: up to six numbers and a target, each number used at most once, with the operations the puzzle allows, and every step has to give a positive whole number, so subtraction has to stay above zero and division has to come out exactly. The solver tries every way of combining the numbers under those rules, so no exact answer means the search finished and found none, and a search that stops at its limit says so instead. Puzzles are generated here from a seed, not taken from any show or puzzle list, and your history stays in this browser.