Googol Stopping Game is a free browser decision puzzle based on the optimal-stopping (secretary) problem. Fifty tiles hide huge numbers; click tiles to reveal values, then press I'm done when you think you hold the biggest. About ~8 KB after Play, no install, no account.
Want a canvas table-tennis match instead? Try Classic Pong. Want a particle match puzzle? Try Quantum Shift.
Pick numbered tiles that hide values from 0 up toward a googol. Your last pick is final - press I'm done when you believe you have the biggest. Or tap Computer to watch the 1/e sample strategy play. Adapted from Victor Ribeiro's googol (MIT). About ~8 KB.
Click or tap tiles on desktop or phone. Session-only - no save data in this build.
Googol Stopping Game
Googol Stopping Game is a free browser optimal-stopping puzzle you can play without an account or install. Reveal fifty numbered tiles that hide enormous values one at a time, keep your last pick, and press I'm done when you believe you hold the biggest number of the set.
Key features
- Fifty hidden values on a secretary-problem style board teach when to stop picking.
- Huge-number strings up toward a googol make each reveal feel dramatic.
- The Computer button demonstrates the classic sample-then-threshold strategy: it samples about n/e tiles, then keeps picking until one beats the sample.
- A tiny ~8 KB download after Play fits a one-minute decision break on desktop or phone.
- No account and no save file - just reveal, decide, and reset.
When to use it
Reach for it as a quick one-minute decision break on desktop or phone whenever you want to feel the sample-then-threshold rule in action rather than read about it.
Privacy and data
The adapted build is session-only, so refreshing the page resets the board and nothing is stored. It runs entirely in your browser with no account and no save file.
About the game
Googol Stopping Game is adapted from Victor Ribeiro's MIT-licensed googol.
For more free browser games, open the games hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Googol Stopping Game?
A free browser decision puzzle: fifty numbered tiles hide huge numbers. You reveal tiles one by one and must decide when to stop, hoping your last pick is the biggest.
How do I play?
Press Play, then click or tap a numbered tile to reveal its value. Your last revealed value is your choice. Press I'm done when you think you have the biggest. Press Computer to watch an automated 1/e sample strategy.
What does Computer do?
It resets the board, samples about n/e tiles to learn a threshold, then keeps picking until it sees a larger value - a classic optimal-stopping heuristic.
Is progress saved?
No. This build is session-only with no localStorage saves.
How big is the download?
About ~8 KB of HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and a small favicon after you press Play.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Tiles and buttons are click/tap targets, so phones and desktops both work.
Is this open source?
Yes. Adapted from googol by Victor Ribeiro under the MIT license. This site build strips the service worker and install prompt, adds noindex, and ships LICENSE plus CREDITS next to the engine.