How to play Number Route

One rule makes this puzzle different

In Number Route, keep all four numbers in their original order and choose a maths sign between each pair. Work from left to right, carrying your answer into the next step, until you reach the target. You can use +, −, × and ÷, including the same sign more than once.

This is a game rule, not a replacement for the usual order of operations. In ordinary arithmetic, multiplication and division have priority over addition and subtraction. Your running total is the answer you have reached so far. Here, each button changes it immediately. That small difference is where many first attempts go wrong.

A complete route: 7, 3, 6, 4 → 28

Suppose the numbers are 7, 3, 6, 4 and the target is 28. Keep the numbers in place and try subtraction, multiplication, then addition.

1. Start at 7. Subtract 3 to reach 4.
2. Multiply that 4 by 6 to reach 24.
3. Add the final 4 to reach 28.

The route is ((7 − 3) × 6) + 4 = 28. The brackets show the game’s left-to-right steps. Written without them, 7 − 3 × 6 + 4 would mean something different under standard arithmetic rules.

When you get stuck, look at the last number

The last number is 4 and you want to finish at 28. Think about the last step first:

• To finish by adding 4, you need to reach 24 first.
• To finish by subtracting 4, you need 32.
• To finish by multiplying by 4, you need 7.
• To finish by dividing by 4, you need 112.

Can the first three numbers reach any of those totals? Try the example above: seven minus three gives four. Four times six gives twenty-four. You can then add the last four to reach twenty-eight.

Working backwards gives you something to aim for. Check your chosen route from the start before you submit it.

Why a division button can be unavailable

Easy routes use whole-number division. If the running total is 5 and the next number is 2, division is unavailable because 5 ÷ 2 is 2.5. If the total is 6, division by 2 is valid and gives 3.

You must use all four numbers, even if you reach the target after the first or second operation. Reset clears the chosen signs so you can try another route. Skip reveals a solution if you would rather move on.

Your turn: reach 21

Use 4, 9, 2, 5, in that order. The target is 21. Start by considering what total you need before the final 5.

Play Anytime contains ten routes. The Daily format uses three. For a paper version, try the five-puzzle sheet with a separate answer page.