How a round works
Each round has 10 questions drawn from the range you pick: the 2 to 5 tables, the 2 to 9 tables, or the harder 6 to 9 tables. The first number comes from your chosen table and the second is anything from 1 to 9. Inside one round the questions are drawn without repeats from the full pool, so you will not see the same question twice. You tap one of four answers, the game shows right away whether it was correct, and after a short pause it moves on. If you prefer the keyboard, the keys 1, 2, 3 and 4 select the answers from first to last.
When the tenth question is answered you get your score, your accuracy, the total time and the average time per question, plus a list of the questions you missed with their correct answers. The wrong choices are not random noise. They are built from numbers that are off by one of the two factors (for 7 x 8 that means 49 or 63), or off by 1, 2 or 10, because those are the slips people actually make. Guessing by rough size will therefore get caught. The score is a self-check only and has no connection with any school grade or official test.
Times table chart (2 to 9)
Each row is a table and each column is the number it is multiplied by. Scan it before you start and note which cells feel unfamiliar; that tells you which range to pick first.
| Table | x 1 | x 2 | x 3 | x 4 | x 5 | x 6 | x 7 | x 8 | x 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 |
| 3 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 27 |
| 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 |
| 5 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 |
| 6 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 | 42 | 48 | 54 |
| 7 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 35 | 42 | 49 | 56 | 63 |
| 8 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 | 48 | 56 | 64 | 72 |
| 9 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 | 54 | 63 | 72 | 81 |
Why recalling times tables instantly matters
Multiplication facts are used constantly in later topics. Division is the same fact read backwards: knowing that 3 x 4 = 12 is what lets you answer 12 / 4 without effort. Simplifying fractions, finding common denominators, working with ratios and factoring expressions all assume that products up to 9 x 9 come to mind without a long calculation. If every product has to be rebuilt by repeated addition, a student spends attention on arithmetic that should be going to the new idea. That is why teachers generally aim for fluent recall rather than slow reconstruction.
Recall is not the same as understanding, though. A learner who can chant 6 x 7 but cannot explain it as six groups of seven will struggle when the same idea shows up as an area, a price per item or a rate. Use this game after the meaning is clear, to build speed and accuracy, not as a substitute for understanding.
Memory strategies for each table
These are common classroom techniques. None of them is the single right way, and different learners respond to different ones, so keep what works and drop the rest.
- Use the swap rule to halve the work: 3 x 7 and 7 x 3 are the same product. If you treat flipped pairs as one fact, far fewer cells need to be memorized. The "distinct pairs" column in the table below shows exactly how many.
- Double and double again: the 4s are the 2s doubled and the 8s are the 4s doubled. If 4 x 6 escapes you, double 2 x 6 = 12 to get 24.
- Fives are half of tens: 5 x n is half of 10 x n. Even numbers times 5 end in 0, odd numbers times 5 end in 5.
- The nines pattern: in 9 x n the tens digit is n - 1 and the two digits add up to 9. For 9 x 7 = 63, the tens digit 6 is 7 - 1 and 6 + 3 = 9. The finger trick for nines relies on the same pattern.
- Sixes are doubled threes: 6 x n is twice 3 x n. If 6 x 7 is shaky, double 3 x 7 = 21 to reach 42.
- Break hard products apart: for something like 7 x 8, subtract 7 x 2 from 7 x 10, or add 7 x 5 and 7 x 3. Rebuilding from facts you know cold is faster than guessing.
Worked examples (all checked)
Example 1: 7 x 8. 7 x 10 = 70, and 7 x 2 = 14, so 70 - 14 = 56. That matches the direct product 7 x 8 = 56. Nearby answers such as 49 (7 x 7) and 63 (7 x 9) are the ones to watch for.
Example 2: 6 x 7. 6 x 5 = 30 and 6 x 2 = 12, and 30 + 12 = 42, so 6 x 7 = 42. This is a spot where people often drift to 36 (6 x 6) or 48 (6 x 8).
Example 3: 9 x 7. By the nines pattern the tens digit is 7 - 1 = 6 and the ones digit is 9 - 6 = 3, giving 63, which equals the real product 9 x 7 = 63.
Example 4: 8 x 6. 8 x 5 = 40 and one more 8 makes 48. It agrees with 8 x 6 = 48, and also with doubling 4 x 6 = 24 to get 48.
What each practice range contains
The table below is calculated from the same loop the game uses. A round of 10 is drawn without repeats from the pool of questions in the range. "Distinct pairs" treats 7 x 8 and 8 x 7 as one fact, and "distinct products" counts different answers.
| Practice range | Questions in the pool | Distinct pairs | Distinct products |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 - 5 times table | 36 | 30 | 25 |
| 2 - 9 times table (all) | 72 | 44 | 35 |
| 6 - 9 times table (hard) | 36 | 30 | 27 |
The 6 to 9 range has the same number of questions as the 2 to 5 range, but its answers sit mostly in the 30s, 40s and above, so it feels harder. A sensible order is to start with 2 to 5, move to 6 to 9 once your accuracy is steady, and finish by mixing everything in the full range. Order matters in the game: 7 x 8 and 8 x 7 count as different questions, so both can appear in one round.
Reading your score: what guessing would give
With four choices, a blind guess is right 25% of the time. For 10 questions the chance of getting at least k right by guessing alone follows the binomial distribution, and the values below are computed that way. They show that a high score is very unlikely to be luck, while a score of 3 is something guessing can easily produce.
| Correct answers | Chance of reaching that by guessing all 10 |
|---|---|
| 3 or more | 47.4% |
| 5 or more | 7.8% |
| 7 or more | 0.3506% |
| 9 or more | 0.0030% |
| 10 or more | 0.0001% |
More useful than the score itself is the review list. If the missed questions keep coming from the same table, for example 7s and 8s, focus on those facts. The game has no option to drill a single table, so the 6 to 9 range is the closest way to concentrate on the weaker tables.
Common mistakes and limits
- Rushing: build accuracy first and speed second. Time pressure makes people miss facts they actually know.
- Answering by elimination: choosing by the last digit fails when options like 56 and 54 sit side by side. Recall the product first, then look at the choices.
- Multiple choice measures recognition: you pick an answer rather than produce one, so recall is only partly tested. Pair the game with writing the facts out or saying them aloud.
- Limited scope: tables are 2 to 9 and the other factor is 1 to 9. There is no 1 times table, no 10, 11 or 12 tables, and no multi-digit multiplication.
- Nothing is saved: scores and times live only on this screen and disappear when you reload.
A simple practice plan
One round a day, about a minute or two, is usually easier to sustain than a long session once a week. Short, spaced repetition is widely recommended for building memory. In week one play the 2 to 5 range each day and write out the missed facts once by hand. In week two repeat that with 6 to 9, and from week three use the full range. If you practice with a child, compare today with last time rather than with another person: turning a missed fact into a correct one is a better goal than a high score.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is best to start practicing?
Children usually meet multiplication in the early years of primary school, but the pace depends on the school and the child. Make sure the idea of equal groups is clear first, then practice recall. Adults can also use the game to sharpen mental arithmetic.
Can the same question appear twice in one round?
No. The 10 questions are drawn without repeats from the pool. However, 7 x 8 and 8 x 7 are different entries, so both may show up in the same round.
How are the wrong answers chosen?
The game collects numbers that differ from the right answer by the first factor, the second factor, 1, 2 or 10, drops anything that is not positive or equals the answer, and picks three at random. These are the near misses people typically make.
How is the average time calculated?
The clock starts when the first question appears. The short pause after each answer, 0.8 seconds, is subtracted for all 10 questions, and the rest is divided by 10. Device speed and tap accuracy affect it, so compare only results from the same setup.
Does struggling with times tables mean I am bad at math?
No. Memorization speed and mathematical understanding are separate skills. If you can break a product apart or look it up and still reach the right answer, you understand the concept. Fast recall mainly reduces the effort needed in later topics. If difficulty persists, a teacher or specialist can help.
Related tools
- Speed Math Quiz: timed practice with the four basic operations
- Number Pattern Quiz: find the rule behind a number sequence
- Number Baseball: a number-guessing logic game