I love to pit my wits against the contestants in the numbers game of the TV show "Letters and Numbers" (which is much the same as Countdown in the UK and Des chiffres et des lettres in France). But I also wanted to be able to play when the show wasn't on, and I often need help to find an answer. Hence the iPhone/iPad app "Outnumbered", available on
the app store.
The Puzzle
You have 30 seconds to get as close as possible to the 3-digit target number by using arithmetic on some or all of 6 candidate numbers. Each candidate number may be used at most once. Fractions are not allowed - only integers (whole numbers) may be used at any stage of the calculation. Only the arithmetic operations
+,
-,
x and
/ (division) can be used. You may use each operator as often as you like.
The best way to learn is simply to try it.
The App
Outnumbered is a "booklet" of puzzles. Pages alternate between random and "play-along" games. Swipe to turn the pages.
To play a random game, select 6 numbers from the two piles of
large and
small numbers, and then the target number is randomly generated. The
large pile contains the numbers 25, 50, 75 and 100 in a random order. The
small pile contains 6 random numbers from 1 to 10.
To play along with the TV show or a friend, select the 6 appropriate numbers from the face-up cards, then type in the target value.
Once the clock has started, tap the cards (numbers or operators) to quickly move them to the next available position, or drag them to the desired position. Remove cards from the board by tapping or else dragging them off the board. Move cards around on the board by dragging them.
If you don't want to race the clock, stop it by tapping the clock face. Tap it again when you have finished the puzzle.
Once the game is complete, all of your attempts (one per line) are scored, and you can scroll to view a solution. You score 10 points for an exact answer, 7 points for a non-exact
solution up to 5 from the target, and 5 points for a solution between 6
and 10 from the target.
Some problems have many solutions - Outnumbered tries to show a simple solution. Sometimes it will show 2 solutions; one which is "simple" and a harder but shorter solution.
Problems, Questions or Suggestions?
Simply leave a comment below.
Getting the App
Outnumbered is available from
the App Store
