How to play Pot of Gold
Start from a number at the bottom of the grid, apply the maths in each cell you step on, and climb to the golden pot with exactly the target number.
The rules
- The golden pot at the top shows the target number.
- Pick one of the starting numbers in the bottom row.
- Move to a touching cell — straight up, or up and diagonally, depending on the level (My own also allows any direction). The cells you can move to glow.
- Each cell holds a maths rule such as +5, −3, ×2 or ÷4; your number changes as you step on it. Harder levels add remainders, squares and cubes, and My own can add digit sums.
- Reach the top row with exactly the target number to win.
Playing Pot of Gold on Puzzle Solvers
- Choose an adventure level — Starter, Explorer, Champion or Legend — or build your own grid, moves and maths rules.
- Tap a purple starting number at the bottom, then tap glowing cells to climb. Each cell's rule (+5, ×2, ÷3 …) changes your number.
- Go Back undoes a step, Help Me! lights up a good next cell, and Show Answer walks through a winning path. Press and hold a cell to peek at what your number would become.
- Reach the top row with exactly the target number to win the pot of gold.
A worked example
Target 17. Starting numbers 4, 3 and 8. Above 3 are ×3 and +6.
Start on 3, step to ×3 to make 9, then step to +8 at the top: 9 + 8 = 17. The pot is yours.
Strategies
- Work backwards. From the target, undo the top cells: if the pot is 17 and a top cell is +8, you need 9 just before it.
- Peek ahead. Press and hold a cell to see what your number would become before you commit.
- Watch for ÷ and %. Sharing only works neatly on some numbers, and a remainder can shrink a big number suddenly — plan around them.
- Go back freely. A wrong turn is not the end: Go Back steps down one cell at a time.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the order: each rule applies to your number as it is now, one step at a time.
- Reaching the top with the wrong number — check the target before the last step.
Where it comes from
Pot of Gold was designed for this site, inspired by a classic number-path puzzle, to practise mental arithmetic for ages 5–12.
Frequently asked questions
What ages is it for?
Starter suits ages 5 and up (adding and taking away, straight up). Explorer adds times and share; Champion and Legend add remainders, squares and cubes for ages 9–12 and beyond.
Is there always a way to win?
Yes. Every puzzle is built around at least one winning path, and Show Answer walks you through it. Often there is more than one way up.
Can I choose my own settings?
Yes — pick My own to set the grid size, the moves allowed, the maths rules and how big the target can be.
Keep going
- Play Pot of Golda fresh puzzle every time
- Magic PathFind every number that fits the rule and join them all in one continuous path.
- Dynamic PathA maths question flashes up: find its answer on the grid and step onto it…
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All guides: How to play every puzzle and game.