About Simon
Simon is a classic short-term memory game. The game flashes a sequence of coloured pads; you repeat it by tapping the pads in the same order. Every round the sequence grows by one and gets a little faster, so it quickly becomes a real test of focus and recall.
How to remember longer sequences
Simon defeats people through interference: each new round replays everything from the start, so the beginning of the sequence has to survive being recalled many times over.
- Chunk it. Group the colours into threes or fours, the way a phone number is grouped. Seven separate items is beyond most people; three chunks is not.
- Say the colours out loud. Turning the sequence into a spoken rhythm gives you a second way to store it.
- Use the sound, not just the light. Each pad has its own tone, so the sequence becomes a short tune — often easier to recall than a list of colours.
- Do not rush the replay. You are not scored on how fast you tap back, only on getting the order right.
Because the sequence also speeds up as it grows, the later rounds test how well you encoded the early part, not how quickly you can react.
Frequently asked questions
How do I play Simon?
Watch the pads light up, then tap them in the exact same order. Get the whole sequence right to advance to the next round. A single wrong tap ends the game, and your highest round is saved.
Is there sound?
Each pad plays a short tone when it lights up, if your browser supports audio. If sound isn't available the game still works perfectly using the colour flashes alone.
How long can the sequence get?
There is no fixed ceiling — it grows by one every round until you make a mistake. Most people find the wall somewhere between rounds ten and twenty, where the sequence outgrows what can be held in short-term memory.
Does one wrong tap end the round?
Yes. Simon is unforgiving by design: the sequence must be repeated exactly, and a single wrong pad ends the run.
Why does it get faster as well as longer?
Both at once is what makes Simon hard. A longer sequence needs more recall, and a quicker replay leaves less time to retrieve each item, so the two difficulties multiply rather than add.