Attention & concentration

How to play Attention Search on DailyQuest.ai

Attention Search is a free browser drill on DailyQuest.ai. Read the target mark above the grid, then click or tap every exact match before the timer runs out. Similar letters, digits and dot patterns act as distractors: d· and d·· are different marks.

A standard session contains five searches, each starting with 18 seconds. The target remains visible above the field, alongside a counter showing how many matches you have found. This is attention practice, not a validated test.

What this drill practises

Practise scanning a symbol field systematically, comparing similar-looking marks and keeping track of which matches you have selected. Each choice requires checking both the letter or digit and its exact dot pattern.

How to play

1. Read the target above the grid. Check its letter or digit and whether it has one or two dots.
2. Scan the seven-column field. Each board contains 36, 42, 48 or 54 cells, so the final row may be incomplete.
3. Click or tap every cell that exactly matches the target. Correct selections are highlighted and increase the found counter.
4. Use the counter to track your progress. Standard searches require 2, 3, 3, 4 and 4 matches respectively.
5. Find every target to clear the search automatically; there is no separate submit step. The next search starts with a fresh board and 18 seconds.
6. If time expires, the search awards no points and records a mistake. In standard play, the session finishes after the fifth search.

Rules, timing and scoring

• A cleared search scores 55 points per target on that board, plus 7 points for each second remaining when you select the final target.
• For example, clearing a three-target board with 10 seconds remaining awards (3 × 55) + (10 × 7) = 235 points.
• Points are awarded for clearing the whole search, not for individual selections. A timed-out search awards 0 points, even if you found some targets.
• Each incorrect selection records one mistake and reduces the timer by 3 seconds, but that deduction cannot take the timer below 1 second. There is no separate points deduction.
• Selecting an already-found target again has no effect. Incorrect cells are not marked as found, so selecting one again can incur another penalty.
• In endless mode, the session ends when a search clears or times out with at least three accumulated mistakes. This check happens when the search advances, not immediately on the third incorrect click.

Worked examples

Common mistakes

Matching only the letter

Check the dots too. A d·· cell is incorrect when the target is d·.

Matching only the dot count

Two dots do not make p··, b·· and q·· interchangeable. Compare the whole mark.

Stopping after a few correct selections

The search only clears when every target has been found. Check the found counter before assuming you are finished.

Skipping the short final row

Some board sizes leave an incomplete row. Its cells can contain targets, so scan right to the bottom.

Clicking uncertain cells repeatedly

Each incorrect selection can cost another mistake and another time penalty. Recheck the visible target before trying again.

Tips

• Use a consistent route, such as left to right across each row, to reduce backtracking.
• Give yourself a short description of the target, such as “q, two dots”, and check both parts before selecting.
• Glance back at the target whenever you are unsure; it stays visible throughout the search.
• Use highlighted matches as landmarks, but continue scanning unselected cells until the counter is complete.
• Read the new target at the start of every search rather than carrying the previous one forward.

Practice by level

Beginners

Start with a deliberate row-by-row scan. Confirm the letter or digit and then the dots for each likely match. Aim to finish whole searches accurately before trying to scan faster: partial finds earn no points if time expires.

Advanced

Keep the same scanning route while making your comparisons quicker. Use the found counter to know how many targets remain, and avoid revisiting highlighted cells. Faster clears earn a larger time bonus, but speculative clicks reduce the time available to finish.

Questions about this drill

Do I have to memorise the target?

No. Although remembering it can help you scan, the target stays visible above the grid and you can refer back to it.

Does every board have the same size and number of targets?

No. Board size is randomly chosen from 36, 42, 48 and 54 cells. Standard searches contain 2, 3, 3, 4 and 4 targets in order. In endless mode, there are five targets from search 6 onwards.

What happens when the timer runs out?

The search records one mistake and awards no points. Play then advances, unless it is the final standard search or the endless-mode stopping condition has been reached.

How does endless mode differ?

Endless mode removes the five-search limit. Each new search still starts with 18 seconds. Incorrect selections and timeouts accumulate mistakes, and play ends at a search transition once that total is at least three.

Other game guides

• Synapse Relay
• Switchboard
• Dark Blueprint
• Target Echo
• Anomaly Hunt
• Rapid Balance
• Logical Patterns
• Number Sequences
• Spatial Rotation
• Working Memory
• Verbal Reasoning