How to play Matchsticks
An equation made of matchsticks is wrong — move exactly one match to make it true. Also known as Move one match.
The rules
- Digits are made of up to seven matches, like a calculator display.
- A plus sign has two matches; take the upright away and it is a minus.
- Move exactly one match: pick it up from one place and put it down in another.
- Every symbol must still be a proper digit or sign, and the equation must be true.
Playing Matchsticks on Puzzle Solvers
- Choose a level and press New Puzzle.
- The equation is made of matches, like the numbers on a calculator display. It is wrong.
- Tap a match to pick it up, then tap an empty spot to put it down. You may move only one match.
- Hint shows which match to move, where it goes, and why that makes the sum true.
A worked example
The matches say 5 + 4 = 6. But 5 + 4 is 9.
Move the bottom-left match of the 6 to its top-right: the 6 becomes a 9, and 5 + 4 = 9 is true.
Strategies
- Work out the gap. Compare the two sides: how far out is the answer? That tells you which numbers need to change.
- Know the one-match pairs. Moving a match inside a digit: 6↔0↔9, 2↔3↔5. Taking one away: 8→0, 6 or 9; 9→3 or 5; 7→1. Adding one: 1→7, 3→9, 5→6 or 9.
- Don’t forget the sign. Changing − to + (or + to −) is often the answer.
- Check every symbol. After the move, every digit must still be a real digit.
Common mistakes
- Moving a match that leaves a broken digit behind.
- Forgetting that the match you remove must go somewhere.
Where it comes from
Matchstick puzzles have been printed in puzzle books and newspapers for well over a hundred years. These equations are generated so that each one has exactly one fix.
Frequently asked questions
Can I move a match within the same digit?
Yes — sliding a match from one side of a digit to the other counts as one move.
Can I make a 1 from nothing?
No — a 1 needs two matches, and you only move one.
Is there always exactly one answer?
Yes — every puzzle is checked so that only one move makes it true.
Keep going
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All guides: How to play every puzzle and game.