Skip to content
Detecting display refresh rate...

Planning Test

Classic Tower of Hanoi puzzle with 4 disks. Move the entire stack to the right peg in as few moves as possible — the optimal solution is 15 moves.

🧩

Planning Test

Tower of Hanoi — move all disks from one peg to another. You can only place a disk on a larger disk.

Difficulty
Sound Effects
Press ? for shortcuts

How This Test Works

1

What It Measures

Tests executive planning ability using the Tower of Hanoi puzzle. Move a stack of 4 disks from one peg to another following two rules: only one disk at a time, and a larger disk cannot rest on a smaller one.

2

How Scoring Works

Score optimizes for minimum moves (the optimal solution is 15) and completion time. Fewer moves and faster completion indicate stronger forward-planning ability and working memory capacity.

What Affects Your Results

Your working memory capacity, recursive pattern recognition ability, impulse control (resisting suboptimal first moves), and display input latency all affect your planning score.

Want to understand the science? Read our full guide on Executive Planning Science .

What Affects Your Planning Score

  • Working memory capacity — holding multiple future board states in mind simultaneously
  • Recursive pattern recognition — recognizing that large goals decompose into repeated sub-goals
  • Impulse control — resisting the urge to make an obvious but suboptimal first move
  • Display input latency — slower monitors add minor overhead to each move decision

Explore All Assessments

Explore all 31 cognitive assessments across six domains. Each test runs locally in your browser with sub-millisecond precision.

Reaction & Reflexes

Raw speed & sensory pathways

Memory

Active working capacity & retention

Reasoning

Fluid logic & non-verbal matrices

Focus & Attention

Selective attention & executive suppression

Motor Performance

Spatial mouse control & clicking stamina

Self-Tracking Notice: For self-tracking and educational purposes only. Not a clinical or diagnostic evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Tower of London planning test?

The planning test (adapted from the Tower of London task) measures visual planning, forward thinking, and executive problem-solving.

What does this test measure?

It measures the capacity of your working memory to plan a sequence of moves in your head before executing them.

How is the planning score calculated?

Scores are based on the number of moves taken to reach the target peg layout, compared to the minimum moves mathematically required.

Is the planning test diagnostic for executive dysfunction?

Clinical versions are used to assess prefrontal cortex damage, but this online version is strictly for self-tracking and training.

How can I improve my planning scores?

Avoid moving pegs immediately. Analyze the target layout, work backward from the goal, and plan the entire move sequence first.

What is the average moves ratio?

Most users solve intermediate levels within 1 to 2 extra moves of the optimal path, while advanced users solve them optimally.

Does age affect planning capabilities?

Executive planning capacities peak in early adulthood and decline slowly, but consistent mental puzzles help retain these skills.

Why is working memory important for planning?

Your brain must hold temporary intermediate states of the pegs in your head, which relies on visual working memory space.