How to play
Codebreaker rules and how to play
This is the solving guide. The Codebreaker library is for picking a puzzle. Here you learn how the clues work.
What is Codebreaker?
Codebreaker is a hidden-digit puzzle. The secret is a string of digits from 0 to 9. DIGIGMA lengths run from 3 (Easy) to 7 (Expert). There is one secret. You guess until you find it.
Goal of the game
Find the hidden code in as few guesses as you can. Time is only a tie-break.
Rules
Rule 1
Find the hidden code.
Rule 2
Every digit is different. Zero is allowed, including at the start. 0123 is a valid code.
Rule 3
Green means a correct digit in the correct position (exact).
Rule 4
Orange means a correct digit in the wrong position (misplaced).
Rule 5
Feedback circles are aggregated. They are not aligned with the digits of your guess.
Rule 6
Fewer guesses rank higher. Time breaks ties. There is no maximum number of guesses.
How to read the feedback
After each guess you see two groups of circles, always in this order: every exact (green, filled), then every misplaced (orange ring). A guess of 1438 against a teaching example 1234 would show two greens and one orange — two digits sit in the right place, and one other digit is in the code but not where you put it. The circles do not sit under 1, 4, 3, or 8.
The teaching example 1234 is documentation only. It is not a live Daily secret.
When stuck
Keep a short list of digits you have confirmed, and digits that cannot be in the code. Change one idea at a time. Ranked play has no hint. Practice, for Founding Members, can offer a sober suggestion after you have a transcript.
FAQ
Can the code start with zero?
Yes. Treat it as a string of digits, not a number.
Do I lose after eight guesses?
No. You continue until you find the code.
What ranks the Daily board?
Guess count first, then time. Four guesses always beat five, even if the four took longer.