Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers regarding puzzle generation, 7-segment validation, scoring metrics, and browser storage.
The puzzle continues uninterrupted! The timer shifts into overtime (starting at 61s) and counts additional time (+00:01, +00:02...) with the caption encouraging you so you can solve without pressure.
Each level has a difficulty rating that rises at least 2.5% per level, and every puzzle is measured inside a tight band above that rating, so any puzzle of level N+1 is at least ~2% harder than any puzzle of level N. Difficulty is measured from seven factors: search-space size, tempting wrong moves (distractors), solution uniqueness, reasoning depth, look-alike digits, near-miss deception and arithmetic magnitude. Around Level 265 the board reaches its maximum playable size; beyond that the rating continues on paper while the game serves the hardest boards.
Yes! The game features infinite levels powered by the deterministic Mulberry32 pseudo-random number generator. Levels range from Level 1 up to JavaScript's safe integer limit of 9,007,199,254,740,991, all generated client-side with zero network delay.
The rank is an estimated statistical rank calculated via a logistic regression model based on your speed, move efficiency, active streak, and difficulty tier. Because Move 1 Stick is 100% client-side with no tracking or remote database, it estimates where your solution time and efficiency would fall among a simulated pool of 250,000 players.
All game progress (current level, highest level unlocked, cumulative score, streak, hints remaining, audio settings, and theme preferences) is stored entirely in your local browser using localStorage under the key "move1stick_save_state". No personal data is sent to any remote server.
Move 1 Stick is a single-page application (SPA) that synchronizes the browser address bar using the HTML5 History API. Updating the URL to /level-N/ without reloading allows you to bookmark your favorite puzzles or copy the URL to challenge friends directly to the same equation.
Yes! You can take an active matchstick from the operands on the left-hand side and drop it into an open slot on the right-hand side, or vice versa, provided all digits remain valid.
Players start with 3 hints. Activating a hint highlights the exact matchstick you need to lift in glowing gold, and while holding that stick, pulses the target slot. You earn +1 bonus hint for every 5 completed levels (at levels 5, 10, 15, 20...), capped at a maximum inventory of 5.
If you jump backward to replay a level lower than your highest completed stage, the game runs in Practice Mode. Practice levels let you revisit puzzles and test strategies, but they do not award score points or advance your streak.
Yes. Clicking "Reset All Progress" in the site footer clears your saved score, streak, hints, and seed from localStorage, resetting the game back to Level 1 with a new random board seed.