Pairs
Pairs memory tips: how to find matching cards in fewer turns
Updated Sunday, October 25
To find the pairs in fewer turns, do not guess: use every card you turn over. Remember where each picture is, and when you turn a card, ask first whether you have already seen its partner. A calm, steady pace beats a fast one.
Build a map
At the start nothing is known, so turn the cards in order, row by row, instead of jumping around. A systematic start gives you a map you can read later, and you never turn the same card twice by accident.
Say the name of each picture
Each card shows its name as well as its picture. Say it, in your head or aloud: a word is easier to hold than a shape. Moon, key, bird, cat.
Link a card to its neighbour
Remember cards in twos: the moon is above the key, the bird is left of the bell. A short link is easier to recall than two separate places, and it also tells you where to look first.
Look for the partner before you guess
When you turn a new picture, stop and think: have I seen this one before? If you have, go straight to it. If you have not, turn a card you have never turned: it gives you new information, while turning a card you already know cannot find a pair by luck.
Take your time
There is no time limit, and the timer never counts for XP. Two cards that do not match stay visible for a moment: use it to fix their place in your mind.
The boards on Gridarium
- Easy: 6 pairs, 12 cards. The fewest possible turns is 6.
- Medium: 8 pairs, 16 cards. The fewest possible turns is 8.
- Hard: 12 pairs, 24 cards. The fewest possible turns is 12.
Every board is the same for everyone on the same day. It is gentle most days and bigger on Saturdays.