How to Play Plain Game

Plain Game is a free browser estimation game. In seven rounds, you name things close to a target value or enter your best numerical guess. Close answers lift your plane. Start at the game and choose Play; no account or download is required.

Read the category and unit

Five rounds ask for a name. A prompt might ask for a mountain near a target elevation, or a film near a running time. Check the category and unit before you type: a mountain height is not a mountain range's length, and a film's theatrical running time may differ from its extended edition.

Type a full name and use the suggestions to select an entry. Suggestions help you find an accepted name without showing its value before you answer. A plausible answer must still be in that collection's list.

An untimed practice example, not today’s daily answer. Suggestions help you choose an accepted name.

Enter a number when the question asks for one

Two rounds turn the task around: the game asks a factual question and you estimate its numerical answer. You can type an ordinary number, or use supported shorthand such as 2.5k and 1.2 million. Read the displayed interpretation before submitting, especially when the question uses years or large units.

These are estimates, not an all-or-nothing quiz. A close guess can still earn points even when you do not know the exact answer.

Commit your answer

Each timed round lasts 30 seconds. The first accepted answer is final. An unrecognized or ambiguous name lets you try again, but the clock keeps running. Choosing a full name from the suggestions is the quickest way to resolve a naming problem.

If you cannot find an answer, you can skip. A skipped or timed-out round earns no accuracy points. Switching tabs or refreshing does not give you a fresh timer.

Read the reveal before continuing

After answering, inspect the actual value and how close your guess was. Name rounds let you compare your answer with nearby candidates. Use the displayed reference and measurement scope to understand what the value means. These are frozen game references, not live statistics; see data sources and limitations.

Every point lifts your plane ten metres. In timed play, altitude also drifts down after the first three seconds. One hidden Golden Round doubles its points. Read the scoring guide for worked examples and the difference between points and altitude.

Finish seven rounds and share your flight

Continue through all seven reveals to reach your results. You can review the flight, save a boarding-pass image and share a link or code with a friend. They can play the same route separately and compare their guesses with yours. Shared scores are self-reported; this is friendly competition rather than a verified leaderboard.

Your flights and progress stay in this browser. Use the in-game Settings export if you want a backup before clearing site data.

What to play next

The daily flight resets at midnight in New York. You do not have to wait to play again: choose practice for another route, select a collection for the five name rounds, or use untimed Discovery to think at your own pace. Two general numerical questions still appear in focused practice.

Explore the modes, or return to Plain Game and start a flight. For help with rejected answers or saved progress, use the FAQ.