Game guide · KP028
Read before your next round of Mastermind
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. Deduce a hidden four-colour code within ten guesses, using exact and misplaced feedback. Keep the goal in mind before your next move. The computer chooses four positions from six colours; repeated colours are allowed. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
Four positions, six colours and ten guesses, with repeated colours allowed. This is an independently coded free colour-code puzzle, not an official branded edition.
Try a more deliberate round
A careful first move helps you understand the round. Check guess records your attempt. Exact means correct colour and position; misplaced means correct colour in another position. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
What counts as success
Begin with the basic rule, then follow the result of your action. Deduce a hidden four-colour code within ten guesses, using exact and misplaced feedback. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
From the start of a round
- The computer chooses four positions from six colours; repeated colours are allowed.
- Select a code position and then choose a colour. Fill all four positions.
- Check guess records your attempt. Exact means correct colour and position; misplaced means correct colour in another position.
- Each secret peg can match only one guess peg. Use the feedback to narrow the next guess.
- Find all four exact positions to win. After ten unsuccessful guesses the secret code is revealed.
Your inputs
Tap one of four positions, then a labelled colour button. Numbers identify colours as well as the swatches. Press Check guess only when all slots are filled. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
An example to follow
A careful first move helps you understand the round. For secret 1,1,2,2 and guess 1,2,1,3, feedback is one exact and two misplaced. The extra 3 has no match. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
A common point of confusion
Four misplaced matches do not mean four exact positions. Also, repeated colours must not be counted more times than they appear in the secret. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
Read these answers for extra help
For this game, what is the aim of Mastermind?
Deduce a hidden four-colour code within ten guesses, using exact and misplaced feedback. The instructions above use these same rules.
On this page, how do the controls work?
Tap one of four positions, then a labelled colour button. Numbers identify colours as well as the swatches. Press Check guess only when all slots are filled. The game is played locally in your browser.
Can you show an example?
For secret 1,1,2,2 and guess 1,2,1,3, feedback is one exact and two misplaced. The extra 3 has no match. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
When I start, which mistake should I avoid?
Four misplaced matches do not mean four exact positions. Also, repeated colours must not be counted more times than they appear in the secret. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
What rules and limits are used here?
Four positions, six colours and ten guesses, with repeated colours allowed. This is an independently coded free colour-code puzzle, not an official branded edition. The game is played locally in your browser.
For this game, how many people can play here?
Solo. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. The game is played locally in your browser.
For this game, can the secret repeat a colour?
Yes. Any of the six colours can appear more than once. The instructions above use these same rules.
On this page, what does misplaced mean?
The guessed colour appears in the secret but not at that position, after exact matches have been accounted for. The instructions above use these same rules.
For this game, are colour numbers part of the rules?
They are labels for accessibility; the number and its colour refer to the same peg choice. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
Can I see the answer?
The answer is shown when you solve the code or use all ten guesses. The game is played locally in your browser.