Guide

How to play Babushka

Every day is a new list, like countries by population. Your doll is one thing on it. Name something bigger and your set jumps inside, like a real nesting doll. How big a set can you build in three minutes?

Play today’s BabushkaPast puzzles

How to play

• Go bigger. Type something from today’s list that beats your doll. If it fits, the new doll opens, your set jumps inside and you gain a piece. The clock pauses while it opens.
• Too small? Your set bounces off, and the clock keeps running. That’s the only penalty.
• Beat the clock. You have 3:00 to build the biggest set you can. One run a day, and everyone gets the same list.
• The run ends when time runs out, when you name the biggest thing on the list, or when you tap End run.

Scoring

Your score is how many pieces your set has. Every doll that fits adds exactly one, no matter how big the jump. The bar under your doll shows how far up the list you are and how many things are still above you.

Tips

• Climb in small steps. Jumping straight to the biggest thing on the list ends your run with only a few pieces. The best sets come from naming things just a little bigger each time.
• Use the suggestions. As you type, the game shows matching names from the list, so you don’t have to spell everything perfectly.
• Keep moving. A miss doesn’t cost a piece, only time. If you’re not sure, guess.

The lists

Each day has a different list, and each one names its source on the title screen. Some examples:

• Countries by population (World Bank)
• Tallest buildings
• Movies by box office
• Dog breeds by popularity
• Video games that sold 25 million copies or more
• Elements by atomic number

Questions

• When does a new list come out? Every day at midnight, your local time.
• What does “bigger” mean? Whatever today’s list measures: more people, taller, more money at the box office, an earlier date. The question under your doll says exactly what to beat.
• Is it the same for everyone? Yes. Everyone gets the same list and the same starting doll on the same day.
• Is it free? Yes. No accounts and no sign-ups. Your progress and streak are saved in your browser on this device.

Play today’s BabushkaPast puzzles

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