Shape Shifter

No graph this time — just three numbers. Sculpt a histogram to match a hidden distribution using only its mean, spread and skew.

How to play

You see the target's summary statistics but never its bars. Drag three sliders — mean, spread and skew — to build your own histogram on the canvas. Submit before the timer ends; the closer your shape matches the hidden target, the higher you score. It inverts the usual task: instead of reading a curve into numbers, you turn numbers back into a curve.

• Each round gives a fresh hidden target and a 45-second clock.
• Your stats are revealed against the target's after you submit.
• Score grades how well your shape fits.

Controls

• Desktop: drag the mean, spread and skew sliders, then click Submit.
• Phone & tablet: drag the sliders and tap Submit — fully touch-friendly.

Game modes

• Daily: the same seeded target for everyone.
• Practice: a fresh randomized target each round.

Tips & strategy

• Set the mean to position the peak first, then widen or narrow with spread.
• Push skew toward whichever tail the stats imply is longer.

What you'll learn

Shape Shifter is a distribution-building puzzle that teaches how summary statistics describe the shape of data.

• Skills: distributions, summary statistics, shape of data
• Best for: roughly grades 8–12 (ages 13+)
• For parents & teachers: how numbers summarise a distribution.

About Shape Shifter

Shape Shifter is a distribution-building puzzle that teaches how summary statistics describe the shape of data. It's an original free browser game made for PlayPendium.

A free, original browser game on PlayPendium — no download, no install. Browse all games →