Sequence Breaker

Each puzzle shows a sequence of numbers with one cell hidden. Your job is to find the hidden number by figuring out the rule that generates the sequence.

What "layered" means

A standard IQ-test sequence uses one rule: "add 3 each time". In Sequence Breaker, the rule can be a layered pattern:

• 2-rule alternating — "add 3, then multiply by 2, then add 3, then multiply by 2, …"
• 3-rule cycle — "add 2, multiply by 3, subtract 1, add 2, multiply by 3, subtract 1, …"

The "Step-by-step" button reveals each rule application one at a time, colour-coded, so you can see exactly how the sequence was built. That visualisation is unique to Sequence Breaker — most competitors show a static answer key.

Strategies

• Compute the differences between consecutive numbers first. If the differences themselves form a sequence, the rule is layered.
• If consecutive ratios look stable, the rule is multiplicative — but check if the pattern alternates with addition.
• For 3-rule cycles, write down the operation at positions 1→2, 2→3, 3→4 and look for the cycle length-3 repetition.
• When stuck, click "Reveal rule" — it costs you a streak point but teaches you the underlying pattern.

Difficulty progression

• Easy — 1 rule, numbers under 50, add/subtract only.
• Medium — 2 rules alternating, numbers under 100, include multiply-by-2.
• Hard — 2–3 rules, numbers can go higher, include multiply-by-small-number and divide-by-2.
• Expert — 3 rules, larger ranges, occasionally include a "skip" (the rule changes mid-sequence).

Custom-sequence builder

Use the builder below to construct your own sequence. Once you click Generate, you'll get a shareable URL that loads the same puzzle for anyone you send it to. The puzzle is encoded entirely in the URL — nothing is stored on a server. We don't track who opens your link.

Known limitations

• The procedural generator occasionally produces a sequence with a non-unique interpretation. We try to filter those, but a few slip through.
• Custom-built puzzles don't have a unique-solution guarantee. If you build something ambiguous, the generator will warn you.
• Sequence Breaker is purely numerical. There's no word, shape, or colour sequence mode.

Sequence Breaker stores your settings and stats in your browser's localStorage. Custom puzzles are encoded into the share-link URL using short, non-identifying parameters. We do not run analytics on which custom puzzles are shared or opened.

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Sharing a custom-built sequence via the share button uses your browser's native share dialog or clipboard. The URL contains only the puzzle parameters — never any personal data.