In Ruled Out, your goal is to identify the secret rule that is true for one (and only one) card in each row of the cards displayed. Rules are based on certain properties of the patterns on the card such as shape, color, quantity, and position. To play this game you must use inductive reasoning, which is a mental process that involves drawing a general conclusion from specific observations.
Rows of three unique cards are presented to you one row at a time. Your goal is to select the one correct card in each row that follows the secret rule. Every time you select a card, you gather valuable information about the secret rule, even if your guess is incorrect.
If you select the correct card, it becomes framed in green, and a new row of cards is displayed. The very first row is always done for you; simply select the card already framed in green.
When the next row appears, try to select the card in that row you think follows the secret rule. Use the information in the first row to help you decide. Then continue selecting one card per row.
If a card you select does not follow the secret rule, it is framed in red, and that row reduces in size so you can easily track which rows do not have a correct selection. These rows are helpful to review because you have already eliminated one of the possibilities in that row, so you know that one of the remaining two cards must follow the rule.
Rows with a “red” guess will stay on the screen until a correct “green” answer is given. At that point, the incorrect rows will collapse and be hidden from view so they do not take up extra room on the screen. However, you can expand and view them at any time simply by clicking (or tapping) on the small round arrow button beside the hidden rows.
New rows of cards are continually added after each guess until you have successfully met the requirement of correct guesses. Your progress toward this goal is shown along the border of the playing area: each correct answer fills up more of the glowing border line, and each incorrect answer drains it. When the border is completely filled, it flashes brightly, then the secret rule is revealed.
If you get enough incorrect answers in a row, a pop-up window will appear asking if you want to skip the current trial and move on to the next one. If you decide to skip, the rule will not be revealed to you. The pop-up also gives you the option to read a Tip that might help you figure out the rule. There is no penalty for reading a Tip.
When there are too many card rows to display on the screen at once, a scroll bar appears on the right-hand side of the playing area you can use to scroll through all the rows of cards using your mouse cursor (or touch/drag).
The play session ends when all five trials are complete.
Levels and Scoring
Your performance in Ruled Out is measured based on whether or not enough information has been given to make a correct decision for the current row. For example, if the card you selected was marked incorrect but matched a different rule that still existed as a possibility for the trial, your performance will not be impacted. (In this game, wrong guesses can be a necessary part of figuring out the solution!)
For each trial that is completed "optimally" - that is, as efficiently as possible based on the information available - your level progress for the session will advance. If the trial was not completed optimally (i.e. you made selections that matched rules that had already been eliminated by the cards displayed) you will lose level progress. If a trial is skipped, all progress for the current level is reset.
As you progress through the game levels, additional rules and card properties become unlocked. Your trial score is dependent on your current level and your performance in the trial. Points are deducted for each sub-optimal card selection. If the trial is skipped, no points are earned.