Whack a Mole

How to play

Moles appear in the holes and vanish after a moment. Hit one for a point, and hit several in a row without missing to build a streak that multiplies what each one is worth. Bombs also appear, and hitting one costs you points and resets your streak, so speed alone is not enough. You have sixty seconds, and the moles get faster as the clock runs down.

Tips

• Watch the whole grid rather than following one hole. Moles are easier to catch in peripheral vision than by staring.
• Rest your hand near the middle. Every hole is then about the same distance away.
• Protect the streak. One bomb costs more than the couple of moles you would have caught by swinging wildly.
• Late on, moles overlap. Take the one that appeared first, since it is closest to vanishing.
• Do not chase a mole that is already fading. Moving on to the next one scores better than a hit you will miss.

Streaks and bombs

Every mole is worth points, but the multiplier is where scores come from. Hitting moles in a row without a miss builds a streak, and every five in the streak raises the multiplier a step, up to a cap. A swing at an empty hole, a missed mole that escapes, or a bomb all reset it to zero. Bombs cost points as well, so the game punishes flailing twice over.

The sixty second round gets faster as it goes: moles appear more often and stay up for less time towards the end. That is deliberate. The early round rewards accuracy and the late round rewards it more, because a reset in the last fifteen seconds throws away the multiplier you spent the first forty five building.

Keeping the multiplier

• Watch the whole grid, not one hole. Moles are easier to catch in the corner of your eye than by staring.
• Rest your hand at the centre so every hole is the same distance away.
• A bomb costs more than the two moles you might have caught by swinging wildly. Look before you hit.
• When moles overlap late in the round, take the older one first. It is closer to vanishing.
• Do not chase a mole that is already going down. Moving to the next one scores; a miss resets.

Common questions

How does the multiplier work?

Consecutive hits build a streak, and every five hits raises the multiplier a step up to a cap. Any miss, escaped mole or bomb resets it.

What does a bomb do?

It costs you points and resets your streak. An unhit bomb that goes back down costs nothing.

How long is a round?

Sixty seconds, and the moles get faster as the clock runs down.