≡
Menu
English
Login
You want to solve the codes from our new brain game Mastermind, but you don’t know how?
There are a lot of different strategies to solve a Mastermind code. Some strategies need fewer attempts than others and some are easier to perform.
It doesn’t matter what strategy you use, there are a couple of steps that each strategy implements.
With this explanation, we will show you what these steps are and how to solve a Mastermind code.
To make the game Mastermind even more fun, we redesigned the original game into the appealing BrainGymmer version below!
Mastermind is a puzzle game in which you try to solve a code, in as few attempts as possible.
The code exists out of a series of colours, in our case diamonds, in a specific order.
After attempting a series of diamonds, you will receive feedback.
This feedback tells you if diamonds are in the right colour and the number of diamonds that are in the right place.
Based on this feedback, you can think of your next attempt.
After each code attempt, the chosen diamonds and their location are noted.
Based on your previous attempts on the notepad, you can think of the next possible order.
Every single correct colour within your attempt will result in a yellow dot on the notepad.
Every correct colour on a correct place will result in a green dot.
Empty circles mean that a diamond isn’t part of the code.
The feedback doesn’t say anything about the position of the diamonds.
The dots only represent how close to correct the code you entered was.
The notepad below shows there was an attempt with the order of blue, red and green.
According to the feedback, one of the three colours is in the right place.
Also, the other two chosen colours are within the code.
This means that one colour is in the right place, and the other two colours should switch places.
In the next attempt, we switch the green and red diamond.
This results in three green feedback dots, the code is correct!
Our brain game Mastermind helps you to train and improve your problem-solving skills.
Solving a problem what Mastermind is all about.
The code is, in this case, the problem which you will solve in as few attempts as possible.
Together with logical reasoning, you will solve every code during a Mastermind game.
Solving the code during a game of Mastermind requires problem-solving skills.
It doesn’t matter if you are solving the codes one way or another, every strategy asks for effective problem-solving skills.
Effective problem-solving usually involves working through five steps. Here are the five steps for an effective problem-solving process:
It’s important to not only know that there is a problem. It is especially important to identify and define the nature of the problem. During a game of Mastermind, the problem could be that you know a blue coloured diamond should be included, but you don’t know the location yet.
From the information gathered during the first step, it is time to list possible solutions.
There might be more ways to find out the right location of the blue diamond.
After listing the possible solutions to your problem, it is time to consider which one suits best.
Some solutions might not be possible, or there might be a faster alternative.
You evaluated the different possibilities and chosen the best solution to solve the problem with.
Now it is time to execute the solution.
You place the diamonds in the order that matches your solution to find out if you are right.
The execution of your solution will lead to the desired results, or you have to think of a new solution to solve the problem.
Did you receive all green dots as feedback during Mastermind? Congrats! You solved the code.
Didn’t you receive all green dots? Then it is time for a new solution.
You know the code exists out of four diamonds, and there are five colours to choose from.
This means that the colour you didn’t include in your first code, belongs to the code.
By placing three of the diamond in the same position as your first attempt and switching one colour, you can evaluate the fourth diamond.
If you switch just one colour and you will receive three yellow dots, you know that the colour you switched was correct in the first attempt.
If there are two yellow dots and two green ones, it means that the last diamond is in the correct place.
This means in our case, that the yellow diamond is on the correct place.
In our example, the first situation happened.
This means that our red diamond was part of the code and in the correct place.
Next, you will have to figure out which of the other three diamonds of your first attempt does not belong to the code.
The easiest way to do this is by using the same tactic in the second attempt.
You now know the red diamond is placed correctly, on the right.
After repeating two diamonds like the first try, we put the yellow diamond on the remaining sport.
In the example, you can see how this tactic is done during the third and fourth attempt.
At attempt four, you know blue, yellow, green and red are part of the code.
You can also see that blue and red are in the correct place.
This means that the two remaining diamonds, yellow and green, are in the wrong place.
By changing their positions, you solve the code.
And this in just five attempts!
Now you know how Mastermind works, and how to use problem-solved thinking to solve the code.
In how many attempts could you solve a code?
And how much codes can you solve?
Play Mastermind and test your problem-solving skills.
