· Memory · Original
What's Missing?: free memory game to spot the missing symbol
Study a row of symbols. It comes back shuffled with one gone: spot the missing symbol before your lives run out.
What is What's Missing??
Study a row of symbols. It comes back shuffled with one gone: pick the missing symbol. Rows get longer and study time gets shorter.
What's Missing? is a quick memory game in the spirit of the classic "what's missing from the tray" party game. A row of symbols appears for a few seconds, then comes back shuffled with one of them gone. Pick the missing symbol from four choices.
The rows start at four symbols and grow to eight, one more every two rounds, while the time to study them gets shorter each round. You have three lives, and your score is the number of rounds you get right.
At a glance
- Category
- Memory
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Play time
- 2–3 min
- Price
- Free, in your browser, sign-up optional
How to play
- Study
- A row of symbols shows for a few seconds. Remember every one.
- Spot
- The row comes back shuffled, one symbol short. Pick the missing one from four choices.
- Speed up
- Every two rounds the row gets one longer, and study time shrinks each round.
- Lives
- A wrong pick costs a life. Your score is the number of rounds you got right.
Strategy and tips
- Name them
- Say each symbol to yourself as you study the row. Words stick better than images alone.
- Make a story
- Link the symbols into a tiny story (the cat sits on the moon next to a key): it is the oldest memory trick there is.
- Count them
- Knowing that the row had six symbols helps you check your memory when it comes back.
- Ignore the order
- The row is reshuffled, so positions do not help. Focus on which symbols were there.
- Eliminate
- When the row returns, tick off each symbol you see. The one left over among the four choices is the answer.
Why play What's Missing??
What's Missing? trains recognition memory and attention to detail: noticing what changed between two views. It is the skill behind proofreading, spotting a missing item in a bag or noticing that something on your desk has moved.
The shrinking study time also trains encoding speed: taking in information quickly and keeping it.
Frequently asked questions
Is What's Missing? free?
Yes. It is free and runs in your browser, with no download. Signing up is optional.
How long are the rows?
They start at 4 symbols and reach 8, one more every two rounds.
Can I see the choices while studying?
No. The four choices only appear once the shuffled row comes back, so you cannot cheat by reading them early.
Is it good for kids?
Yes. The first rounds are easy and the symbols are simple, so it works well for children and adults alike.