· Memory · Original
Shopping List: free memory game, remember the whole list
Read the list, close it, go shopping. Grab everything you need and nothing you don't.
What is Shopping List?
Read a short shopping list for a few seconds, then head to the shelf. Put exactly what was on the list in your basket, and watch out for look-alikes: whole milk next to semi-skimmed, red apples next to green. Every perfect basket makes the next list one item longer, from 3 to 10.
Shopping List is a free short-term memory game. A shopping list shows for a few seconds, then it closes and you're at the shelf. Tap everything that was on the list to put it in your basket, tap again to take something out, and press Checkout.
The shelf is full of look-alikes on purpose: semi-skimmed milk next to whole milk, green apples next to red ones, still water next to sparkling. A perfect basket makes the next list one item longer, from 3 up to 10 items, and each item has a drawn icon and a written label.
At a glance
- Category
- Memory
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Play time
- 2–4 min
- Price
- Free, in your browser, sign-up optional
How to play
- Read
- The list shows for a few seconds, a little longer for longer lists. Close it early if you're ready.
- Shop
- Tap an item to put it in your basket, tap again to take it out. Then press Checkout.
- Lives
- A perfect basket makes the next list longer. A missing or extra item costs one of 3 lives and gives you a new list of the same length.
- Score
- 10 points per right item, minus 10 per item not on the list, never below zero, plus 10 × the level for a perfect basket.
Scoring
Each checkout scores 10 points per right item, minus 10 per item that wasn't on the list (never below zero), plus 10 × the level for a perfect basket.
A missing or extra item costs one of 3 lives and gives you a new list of the same length. Lists grow from 3 to 10 items; your best score is kept in this browser.
What it trains
- Short-term memory
- Holding a list for a minute, like the one in your head at the shop.
- Precise recall
- Remembering the exact detail: semi-skimmed, not whole; green, not red.
- Self-checking
- Counting and reviewing your basket before you commit.
Strategy and tips
- Group the list
- Sort items in your head by aisle: dairy, fruit and veg, cupboard. Three small groups beat one long list.
- Remember the detail
- "Milk" isn't enough. Hold the word that makes it different: semi-skimmed, green, sparkling.
- Count the items
- Note how many items the list has. If your basket has fewer, something's missing.
- Make a little story
- Link the items in a silly scene: a banana pouring honey on brown rice is hard to forget.
- Check before you pay
- Taking an item out is free until you press Checkout.
Why play Shopping List?
Holding a handful of details for a minute is something you do all day: a shopping list, a phone number, the three things to bring tomorrow. Practising with look-alikes trains you to remember the exact detail, not just the general idea.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopping List free?
Yes. It is free and runs in your browser, with no download. Signing up is optional.
How is the score counted?
Each right item scores 10, each item not on the list takes 10 away (a round never goes below zero), and a perfect basket adds 10 × the level.
What happens if I make a mistake?
You lose one of 3 lives and get a new list of the same length. A perfect basket moves you to a list one item longer.
How long are the lists?
From 3 items on the first level to 10 on the last. Reading time grows with the list.