The Fifteen Game

Puzzles

Rules — The Fifteen game

  • The numbers 1 to 9 sit on the board. In turn, each player takes one into their own box: that number leaves the board and nobody else can take it.
  • Whoever collects in their box three numbers that add up to 15 wins. You may hold more than three numbers — it is enough for any three of them to add up to 15.

Levels:

  • Level 1 — Fifteen. The classic: whoever first makes 15 wins.
  • Level 2 — Fifteen in reverse. Same rules, but collecting three numbers that add up to 15 makes you LOSE.
  • Level 3 — Double sum. Played with nine tiles carrying two numbers each (1 to 3) instead of one. Whoever collects three tiles whose first digits add up to a multiple of 3, and whose second digits also add up to a multiple of 3, wins.

Note: on this level whoever starts wins with perfect play, so it is good practice against the computer but not for competitions.

Watch a game between Ann and Bob. Every number taken leaves the board and goes into the box of whoever took it.