24 Game

The 24 Game hands you four numbers and one target: combine them with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to make exactly 24. The puzzle was played as a card game in Shanghai as far back as the 1960s, using a deck of playing cards. In 1988, engineer Robert Sun turned it into the branded 24 Game and built the 24 Challenge Math Program, which has drawn more than five million students into tournament play. Each puzzle has at least one solution, and finding it trains the number fluency that researchers call arithmetic flexibility. A 2020 study in the Learning and Individual Differences journal showed that timed arithmetic games improve fluency and reduce math anxiety in middle-school students. Deal yourself four numbers and make 24.

1. Four numbers appear on screen. Use each number exactly once.
2. Combine them with plus, minus, times, and divide to reach a total of 24.
3. Tap two numbers, then tap an operator. The result replaces the two numbers you combined.
4. Repeat until one number remains. If that number is 24, you solved the puzzle.
5. Stuck? Press Hint to reveal the next step, or press Solution to see a full answer.
6. Press New Numbers to deal a fresh set. Harder difficulty uses larger numbers and trickier solutions.

• You must use all four numbers, each exactly once.
• The only allowed operations are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Division must be exact if you want to stay in whole numbers, though intermediate fractions are allowed in some variants.
• Parentheses are implicit. You combine two numbers at a time, so the order of operations is up to you.
• Every puzzle in our set has at least one valid solution.
• Reach exactly 24 to win. Any other final number means you need a different combination.

• Look for factor pairs of 24 first. If you see a 6 and a 4, or an 8 and a 3, try to build the other factor from the remaining two numbers.
• Check for 24 as a sum. Pairs like 12 plus 12, 16 plus 8, or 18 plus 6 are common. See whether the four numbers split into two pairs that each sum to one of those.
• Use subtraction to reach 24. A pattern like 25 minus 1, or 30 minus 6, works when the numbers are large. Build the larger number with two cards and the smaller with the other two.
• Try division last. Multiplication grows numbers fast, so most solutions multiply first and then add or subtract the remainder.
• Practice the 24 Challenge patterns. Regular players memorize common frames like 6 x 4, 8 x 3, and 12 x 2, which speeds up recognition under time pressure.

• Single Digits: The original Robert Sun edition. All four numbers are single digits from 1 to 9. This is the version played in school tournaments.
• Double Digits: Uses numbers from 1 to 24, including two-digit values. The larger numbers create subtraction and division frames that do not appear in the single-digit edition.
• Arithmetic Challenge: A timed arithmetic drill on our site that pairs well with the 24 Game for building fast mental math.

• Every puzzle is a small mystery with a guaranteed answer.
• It builds number fluency faster than worksheets, without feeling like homework.
• A single round takes under a minute, so you can play between tasks.
• Recognizing classic frames like 6 x 4 and 25 minus 1 feels like learning a secret code.

Play the 24 Game in your browser with no download. Pick Easy, Medium, or Hard, combine four numbers with plus, minus, times, and divide, and race to 24. Our version validates every step, offers hints and full solutions, and deals a fresh puzzle on demand. Deal four numbers and start calculating.

The 24 Game turns four numbers into a one-minute arithmetic puzzle with a guaranteed solution. Spot factor frames, use subtraction from larger products, and learn the fraction tricks. Pick a difficulty, deal four numbers, and make 24 now.

• Robert Sun and the 24 Game history - 24 Game Shop
• 24 (puzzle) - Wikipedia, including the Shanghai card-game origins