Size Comparison Game FAQ
Answers to the questions players ask most about the daily size comparison game – what it costs, how the daily puzzle and scoring work, where the measurements come from and what happens to your data. If your question is about controls or the scoring table, the how to play page goes into more detail. Still stuck? Get in touch.
Getting started
Is Size Comparison Game free?
Yes, completely. There is no subscription, no in-game purchase and no account to create. Open the page and the daily puzzle is ready to play.
Do I need to download anything?
No. The game runs in any modern browser on a computer, tablet or phone. If you play every day, you can use your browser's Add to Home Screen option so it opens like an app. An internet connection is still needed to load each day's puzzle.
How do I play?
Each round shows a familiar object in blue at its real size and an orange silhouette at the wrong size. Drag, pinch, scroll or use the slider to resize the orange shape until the pair looks right, then lock in. The full rules, controls and scoring table are on the how to play page. Read how to play.
Does it work on phones and tablets?
Yes. The whole round fits on one screen and you can pinch with two fingers or drag with one to resize the silhouette. On a computer you can also use the arrow keys and Enter.
The daily puzzle
When does the new puzzle come out?
Every day at midnight in your own time zone. The results screen shows a countdown to the next puzzle.
How many rounds are in a daily puzzle?
Five. The first usually involves something everyone knows well, and the rounds get trickier as you go – the last one is often a real surprise.
What happens if midnight passes while I'm playing?
You can finish the puzzle you started, and it counts for the day it belongs to. The new puzzle appears the next time you open or refresh the page.
Does everyone get the same puzzle?
Yes. Everyone who plays on the same date sees the same five comparisons in the same order, which is why your shared result can be compared with a friend's.
Can I replay today's puzzle?
No. Each daily puzzle can be played once so that shared scores stay fair. If you close the page halfway through, your progress is kept and you continue where you left off. For more rounds, switch to Unlimited mode. Play Unlimited mode.
Can I play puzzles from earlier days?
Not yet. Past daily puzzles are not available at the moment, but Unlimited mode gives you as many random comparisons as you like in the meantime.
How is my streak counted?
Your streak goes up by one each day you finish the daily puzzle and resets if you miss a day. Streaks and statistics are stored in your browser, so they do not carry over to another device and clearing your browser data resets them.
Scoring
How are points calculated?
Each round is worth up to 100 points and a day has five rounds, so the best possible total is 500. A guess within 5% of the true size earns full marks, and the score falls gradually until a guess that is three times too big or too small earns nothing. Guessing double the real size costs exactly as much as guessing half of it.
What do the colored squares mean?
Green means 90 to 100 points, yellow 70 to 89, orange 40 to 69 and red under 40. Your shareable result is one square per round plus your total score.
Why does the blue reference get smaller when I make the orange shape bigger?
The view zooms automatically so both objects always fit on screen. What matters is how the two shapes compare with each other, not how large either one looks.
Why did I get zero points?
Your guess was at least three times too big or three times too small. Big misses happen to everyone, especially with planets and very small objects.
Sizes and sources
Where do the measurements come from?
We use typical adult or standard sizes from sources such as NASA, NOAA, zoos, natural history museums and official sports rules. Every reveal links to its source, and the sources page lists them all along with how each dimension is measured. See sources and methodology.
Why typical sizes instead of record holders?
A typical size is what most people picture, and it makes the comparison fair. Where sizes vary naturally, the reveal also shows a typical range.
I think a size is wrong. What should I do?
First check the linked source, because many animals vary a lot between individuals. If the number still looks wrong, contact us and we will review it. Contact us.
Who made the silhouettes?
Animal and dinosaur silhouettes come from PhyloPic, an open database of organism silhouettes, and are used under public domain or Creative Commons licenses. Everyday objects, vehicles and landmarks are drawn by us, and planets are generated from their measured diameters. Every artist is credited on the sources page.
Can I switch between meters and feet?
Yes. Use the m / ft switch at the top of the page. The default follows your browser's language settings and your choice is remembered on that device.
Privacy and the project
Do you collect my data?
Your progress, statistics and unit preference are saved in your own browser's local storage and never sent to us. There are no accounts. We use Google Analytics to count visits and see which pages people use, without cookies in the EU, UK and Switzerland. The privacy policy explains exactly what is stored and collected. Read the privacy policy.
Is this the same as Size It Up?
No. This is an independent game with its own objects, measurements, silhouettes and scoring. It is not affiliated with Magnitudle or the Size It Up game.
Is it suitable for kids and classrooms?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no chat and no personal information required, and each reveal comes with a short fact and a source, which makes it a quick way to practise estimation and scale.
Will there be new objects?
Yes. New animals, planets, landmarks and everyday things are added regularly, so the comparison pool keeps growing.
More questions?
This size comparison game FAQ grows with your questions. If something is missing, send it to us and we will add the answer here. Ready to test your sense of scale? Play today's puzzle.