Bet on the sentences that carry a paragraph's meaning, then squeeze its whole point into a tight word budget.
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How to play
Each round has two phases. First you bet which sentences are load-bearing; then the true thesis is revealed and you write a summary under a strict word limit. Your score blends bet accuracy, meaning captured, and budget discipline.
Phase 1: click the sentences you think carry the thesis, then reveal it
See how many thesis hits and filler bets you made
Phase 2: write the gist in the allowed number of words or fewer
Staying under budget earns a brevity bonus; going over is penalized
Game modes
Daily: one shared paragraph per day
Practice: a fresh random paragraph each round
Controls
Desktop: click sentences to bet, click Reveal thesis, type your summary, then click Score
Phone & tablet: tap sentences to bet and tap the text box to write your gist
Tips & strategy
Bet on topic and conclusion sentences, supporting examples rarely carry the thesis
Write a draft that captures the meaning, then cut filler words to claim the brevity bonus before you score
What you'll learn
Gist is a comprehension game about finding a paragraph's core idea and stating it clearly.
Skills: reading comprehension, main idea, summarizing
Best for: roughly grades 4–10 (ages 9–16)
For parents & teachers: finding and stating the main idea.
About Gist
Gist is an original free browser comprehension game about finding a paragraph's core idea and stating it concisely, pairing a betting mechanic with disciplined summary writing.
A free, original browser game on PlayPendium. No download, no install.