Mini Games
Number Baseball Game
Deduce the computer's secret number from Strike and Ball hints in this classic logic game. 3-digit and 4-digit modes.
How to play
- The computer picks a secret 3-digit number made of distinct digits from 0 to 9 (it may start with 0).
- Guess the number. Each guess is scored: STRIKE (right digit, right spot), BALL (right digit, wrong spot), OUT (no digit matches).
- Crack it in as few tries as possible — strikes means you win!
Difficulty
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Number Baseball is the Korean name for Bulls and Cows, the old pencil-and-paper code-breaking game built on the same idea as the board game Mastermind. The computer picks a secret number of 3 or 4 different digits from 0 to 9 — zero can come first, so 012 or 0597 are possible — and you try to work it out in as few guesses as you can.
After every guess you get a clue. A Strike (a "bull") is a correct digit in the correct position; a Ball (a "cow") is a correct digit in the wrong position; Out means none of your digits appear in the secret. Your guesses must use different digits too — repeats are blocked as you type. Reach 3 Strikes in 3-digit mode, or 4 in 4-digit mode, and you've cracked it.
There's no turn limit: your score is simply the number of guesses. Solve it in 4 or fewer and you're an Ace Detective; 5–7 earns Sharp Reader, 8–11 Steady Solver, and 12 or more counts as Warming Up. The 3-digit mode has 720 possible secrets and the 4-digit mode 5,040. For 4 digits, an optimal strategy always finishes within seven guesses and averages about 5.2, so landing in the 5–7 range is genuinely strong play.
Tip: spend your first guesses finding out which digits are in the number at all, then shuffle positions to turn Balls into Strikes. Tap the on-screen keypad or type on your keyboard (number keys, Backspace, Enter). It's free, runs in your browser, and needs no sign-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do you play Number Baseball?
A. Guess the computer's secret number of 3 or 4 different digits. After each guess you see how many Strikes (right digit, right spot) and Balls (right digit, wrong spot) you got, or Out if no digit matches.
Q. Is Number Baseball the same as Bulls and Cows?
A. Yes. A Strike is a bull and a Ball is a cow; Korea simply uses baseball terms. The 1970 board game Mastermind uses the same idea with colored pegs.
Q. Can the secret number start with 0?
A. Yes. The secret uses digits 0–9 with no repeats, and 0 can be in the first position, so there are 720 possible answers with 3 digits and 5,040 with 4.
Q. How many guesses is a good score?
A. There is no turn limit, and fewer is better: 4 or fewer earns Ace Detective, 5–7 Sharp Reader, 8–11 Steady Solver. With 4 digits, a perfect strategy never needs more than 7 guesses.