Game guide · CQMELISSA
Mastermind: from controls to your first round
The board gives you the information needed for the next action. 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.
Take a closer look while playing
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. Check guess records your attempt. Exact means correct colour and position; misplaced means correct colour in another position. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
What the game asks you to do
A careful first move helps you understand the round. Deduce a hidden four-colour code within ten guesses, using exact and misplaced feedback. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
Follow these playing steps
- 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.
Getting comfortable with the controls
The example and rules describe the same game you can play above. 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.
Learn from a sample situation
Take a moment to check the current turn. 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
The example and rules describe the same game you can play above. 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 game area remains available above the explanation.
Questions that come up during play
What is the aim of Mastermind?
Deduce a hidden four-colour code within ten guesses, using exact and misplaced feedback. A new round resets the current game.
For this game, 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 controls work with mouse or touch.
During a round, 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. You can start a new round from the game controls.
For this game, 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. No download or player account is required.
When I start, 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. Use the labelled controls for your next action.
During a round, how many people can play here?
Solo. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
On this page, can the secret repeat a colour?
Yes. Any of the six colours can appear more than once. No download or player account is required.
During a round, what does misplaced mean?
The guessed colour appears in the secret but not at that position, after exact matches have been accounted for. A new round resets the current 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.
When I start, can I see the answer?
The answer is shown when you solve the code or use all ten guesses. The instructions above use these same rules.
