Logic puzzle

Mindo

Crack the secret 4-colour code

Mindo is a free online logic puzzle where you crack a secret code of 4 colours, drawn from 6 and sometimes repeated, in 10 guesses or fewer, with a new puzzle every day.

Duration: 2–3 min
Difficulty: Medium
Skill: Deduction
Price: Free

Play now — for free

How to play?

A secret code of 4 colours, drawn from 6 and sometimes repeated. Make a guess: you learn how many colours are in the right spot and how many are elsewhere — never which ones. Cross the clues and crack the code in 10 tries at most.

Build a combination of 4 colours; repeats are allowed.
The pegs tell you how many colours are well placed and how many are misplaced.
They don't say which ones: work it out from one guess to the next.
Find the code in 10 tries at most. A joker reveals a colour, but caps your score.

Why play?

Pure deduction, Mastermind style.
The same code for everyone, every day.
Fewer tries, better score: every guess counts.

Tips

Open with two doubled colours, say two reds then two blues: the answer tells you about two colours at once, and hints at where they sit.
Add the two counters together: well placed plus misplaced gives the exact number of code colours in your guess, wherever they are.
A guess that returns no pegs at all rules out every one of its colours in every position. From then on, only use them deliberately as filler.
When you are hunting for positions, change only one or two pegs between guesses: the shift in the counters tells you exactly which change mattered.
Before submitting, check that your guess still fits every answer you have received. An inconsistent guess wastes a row and costs you points.

Frequently asked questions

How do you play Mindo?

Build a combination of 4 colours, repeats allowed, and submit it. The pegs tell you how many colours are in the right spot and how many are in the code but misplaced, without saying which. Cross-check those clues from guess to guess and crack the code within 10 tries.

Is Mindo free to play?

Yes. Mindo is free in your browser, on desktop or mobile, with nothing to download. You can play today's code without an account. A free account unlocks the archive of past days, and SIWA+ (18 € a year) removes ads and adds advanced stats.

How is Mindo different from Mastermind?

Mindo follows classic Mastermind rules: 4 positions, 6 colours, repeats allowed, and clues that count without telling you where. The twist is the daily format: one code per day, the same for everyone, a score out of 1,000 points and a daily leaderboard.

Can the code always be solved in 10 guesses?

Yes. With 4 positions and 6 colours there are 1,296 possible codes, and Donald Knuth showed that a careful strategy always pins the right one down in 5 guesses or fewer. Ten rows leave you plenty of room to experiment.

What does the joker do in Mindo?

The joker reveals the correct colour at one position you have not found yet, and locks it into your next guesses. It is expensive: one joker caps your score at 70% of the maximum, two at 45%, three at 20%. Save it for when you are truly stuck.