Number Neighbors is a fast, satisfying math puzzle. A small grid of numbers appears. A target sum appears at the top. Your job is to find every pair of adjacent numbers that add up to the target.
Target is 10, grid has a 7 next to a 3, and a 6 next to a 4, and a 5 next to a 5? All three are good pairs. Tap them and move on.
Where to find it
Go to Activities → Brain Games, and tap Number Neighbors.
How to play
Tap Play.
The target sum is shown at the top.
A grid of numbers appears below.
Find two numbers that are next to each other (side by side or up and down) that add up to the target. Tap them both.
Keep finding pairs until you have them all.
What counts as "adjacent"
Two numbers are neighbors if they are directly next to each other:
Side by side, horizontally.
Stacked, vertically.
Diagonal is not adjacent. Numbers separated by another number are not adjacent. Keep it strict.
What it trains
Mental math. Adding two small numbers without a calculator, which keeps the math muscle warm.
Searching carefully. Scanning a grid for adjacency is a spatial skill.
Number sense. Feeling comfortable with how numbers combine.
How long a round takes
One to three minutes. This is the quickest game in the library. Great for a short break when you have a few minutes and want to do something useful.
A few small tips
Start with obvious pairs. Target is 10? Look for a 5 next to a 5 first. Those jump out.
Pick a number and search around it. Look at a 7. Is there a 3 directly next to it? If target is 10, that is a pair.
Work row by row, then column by column. A systematic scan finds pairs a random glance misses.
Do not forget vertical pairs. Most people find horizontal pairs first. Vertical ones are the sneaky ones.
It counts
Every finished round contributes to your ThriveScore. Number Neighbors is also good for the very practical skill of doing quick mental math, which makes grocery shopping and splitting restaurant bills easier.