What is What's the Number?
What's the Number? is a daily arithmetic puzzle with five numbers, four empty gaps, and one target. You fill each gap with an operation so the completed expression equals that target. Your first successful solve stops the clock and records the day's time.
The numbers stay in their displayed order. The challenge is choosing the operators, not rearranging the numbers or introducing extra brackets.
The arithmetic rules
The available operations are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Standard order of operations applies, so multiplication and division are evaluated before addition and subtraction.
For an illustrative puzzle, the fixed numbers 2, 3, 4, 6, 2 can reach 11 with:
2 + 3 × 4 − 6 ÷ 2 = 11
That works because the multiplication gives 12 and the division gives 3, leaving 2 + 12 − 3. Evaluating everything from left to right would give the wrong result.
How to play the daily puzzle
- Open Today's puzzle and read the target when the timer starts.
- Inspect the five numbers in order and look for useful multiplication or division pairs.
- Select each blank and fill it with an operator.
- Adjust the expression until it reaches the target; the clock stops on the first valid solution.
- Keep searching for the other solutions shown by the puzzle's solution count, with the first-solve time already fixed.
Tips for finding a working expression
Start by estimating the scale of the target. A small target with large numbers may call for subtraction or division, while a large target may require a product. Then check how the higher-priority operations group the expression.
After the first solve, change the structure rather than making random swaps. A different multiplication pair may produce another valid route. Keyboard shortcuts include +, -, * or x, and /, with arrow keys to move between gaps. Undo and Clear help you revise a candidate without moving the numbers.