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Short Term Memory Test

Take a good look at these words and try to memorize them. Then, click "start quiz" and try to type them back in.
The answers change every time
Once you're done, read the comments for a solution for how to do this easily
Quiz by Quizmaster
Rate:
Last updated: January 15, 2020
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First submittedSeptember 27, 2017
Times taken167,885
Average score60.0%
Rating4.97
3:00
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Word
dotard
steep
hundred
heart
garage
Word
author
kilt
pumpkin
knife
monkey
Word
tongue
bed
crayon
lucky
ears
101 Recent Comments
+126
Level ∞
Sep 27, 2017
My strategy to get 15: Make up a "story" involving each group of 2 to 3 words. Then you can remember each story and easily recall the words.

You can probably put the last column of five into your echoic memory and quickly type them as soon as you start the quiz.

+3
Level 51
Sep 28, 2017
Eistein should be Einstein, shouldn't it?
+3
Level ∞
Sep 28, 2017
Fixed
+2
Level 55
Mar 25, 2025
How about Epstein?
+2
Level 77
Sep 28, 2017
Was "dotard" included because of Kim Jong-un?
+7
Level ∞
Sep 28, 2017
I plead the 5th.
+2
Level 59
Oct 2, 2017
Probably the best you can do in that situation
+6
Level 56
Oct 2, 2017
Amazing idea! I want to see a sequel, but with countries!
+2
Level 67
Oct 11, 2017
Here's my story! A man from "Harvard" went to a "Russia"n "Palace" and "saw" a "bird" and a "rabbit". He went to "Liverpool", "France" and bought "grapes". Then he heard his "uncle" went to a "talent" show and saw a "duck"'s "leg" on a "boat". I got 100%!
+1
Level 41
Dec 17, 2017
Or just write down all of the words prior to clicking the start button - did it in 33 seconds.
+14
Level 49
Dec 18, 2017
What's the point i that?
+1
Level 73
Aug 12, 2019
WHat?!?!
+1
Level 69
Dec 13, 2017
Great quiz! Really stretches the brain different ways
+3
Level 72
Dec 17, 2017
Could we have a yellow-box version of this quiz?

Instead of making a story, I try to visualize something with lots of details related to the word I'm trying to remember, and then I "place" my images at every corner on a specific route I have been traveling very often.

This way you will be able to not only remember the words in the right sequence, but you can do it both backwards and forwards.

+3
Level 28
Dec 21, 2017
Here it is
+1
Level 75
Dec 17, 2017
An elephant on a hill plays on a rust-colored snooker table using a key while a wealthy raven sits on a throne as a rabbit tries to sell him Jupiter. Meanwhile an eagle with one hand in his jacket talks to a witch with steam coming out her ears. 29 seconds.
+1
Level 73
Aug 12, 2019
Sounds like a cool story :)
+1
Level 92
Apr 5, 2025
I want some of what you’ve had please!
+1
Level 59
Dec 17, 2017
There was a palace in the West , an awesome ant, shark, bird and hamster lived there. They grew tomatoes standing, and served them in a plate. A blue mansion was beside the palace.
+1
Level 84
Dec 17, 2017
Wow. I only got 4.
+1
Level 51
Dec 17, 2017
I managed to get 15 on the third try. The easiest way for me was to utilise the fact the words are split into three columns of five. From there I'd make three stories, each from five words. Example; bonnet, spinach, bus, highway, cheek - The cheek of someone to put spinach on the bonnet of a bus on a highway.
+1
Level 76
Dec 17, 2017
I just made up three stories too. My stories were:

1. You can buy a PEPPER in HOLLAND in a PUBLIC SPACE for a EURO.

2. A GOAT makes GOULASH with CABBAGE underneath a PINE in SCOTLAND.

3. In LIVERPOOL, a soccer player makes a GOAL with a GLOVE wearing a KILT near a THRONE.

+1
Level 57
Dec 17, 2017
A HORSE with a POTATO TOOTH had TASTE for SISTER SUSAN's OAK tree, but never liked the CROWN GIRAFFE with a knack for catching FRISBEEs. On RECORD, the HEART will beat one HUNDRED times a minute when on a BOAT, unlike the SOUL.
+3
Level 84
Dec 17, 2017
I found simply writing the words down on separate piece of paper a helpful technique.
+4
Level 59
Dec 17, 2017
Technically, that's cheating.
+1
Level 63
Dec 17, 2017
That is the point.
+1
Level 67
Dec 17, 2017
A bizarre pink cricket in a red box on the ceiling pounded the Trojan knife as it snored
+1
Level 35
Dec 17, 2017
a ghost wearing a cape and waving a napkin recited poetry to the choir. Then a viking wearing a jacket came in through the window and shouted boo. then he remembered he had to go to the salon so he soared there then snored as his head rested on the furniture
+4
Level 59
Dec 18, 2017
Anyone else just visualize the 3 columns in their head and recall the words from memory? I read them top to bottom 3 times and recalled all 15
+3
Level 32
Jun 9, 2018
same dude . why is everyone going through the trouble of writing a story?
+1
Level 79
Feb 28, 2019
Because different people's memories work differently. Some people have very good visual memory and can "read" the words from their memory of the grid. Others are auditory learners, and would probably do best if they recited to words to themselves a few times in order to feel the flow and rhythm of them. Still others find it easiest to remember things if there is some sort of a narrative involved, making it essentially one thing to remember rather than fifteen.
+1
Level 73
Aug 12, 2019
Because "reading them from top to bottom 3 times" is more trouble for some than simply connecting the words.

It isnt even about good or bad memory. reading a list over and over again can be more of a chore and even more time consuming than (deliberately or not) using your imagination and seeing it as a story or a picture.

For me personally that happens instantly, so reading the coloms "pounding" the words in is more trouble. Plus that way it often leaves the brain just as fast as it went in. When you would ask for the words in a week or something, you might remember 2 at most. While those that made the story (they do need to remember atleast 1 word for the memory to get triggerd) will be able to retell 80-100%

+1
Level 73
Aug 12, 2019
And the reason they write it down here is because they want to share there experience and the interesting stories it brought forth. I like reading them. The world could use a bit more colorfull imagination.

I added colorfull, because a lot of people are allready good at imagining stuff, but not the creative inspirational stuff. But imagining other people don't matter, that they have more right to something than someone else, imagine that will allways be others to pick up their figurative mess, so why would they care etc etc.

On the flip side, their are people that imagine their are worth nothing, they imagine they look horrible, they imagine they have no right to anything..

So there is allready a lot of imagining going on. unfortunately, not the kind that can bring joy and growth.

+1
Level 18
Feb 28, 2019
Same
+4
Level 67
Dec 22, 2017
I just copied and pasted.
+5
Level 72
Jun 9, 2018
Cheater
+1
Level 69
Jun 9, 2018
i made up "vince at wikipedia has wealthy dishes of oil he puts in his purple sink" and then i associated sink with water, and water with rain.
+1
Level 69
Jun 9, 2018
third try, i got 13.which i'll take because my memory worked a lot better this time.
+1
Level 80
Sep 18, 2018
My suggestion for this quiz would be to limit the amount of time that takers have to see the words before they have to answer - if that's technically possible. Otherwise it is too easy to memorise the lot by whatever means and score 100%.
+2
Level 73
Aug 12, 2019
this is not true. If this was the case you would be able to memorize 1.000 words without any difficulties.just look at them for several hours.. It is about short term memory! so how long you can retain the info as soon as you dont see it anymore.

And I am not sure what you mean by "byany means necessary" you have got memorizing and you have got cheating. If the "means" you are referring to involves writing it down or taking a picture etc, that is simply cheating. If you mean memorizing it the way that works for you, in a row, alphabetically, as a rhythm/song or making combo's that make sense to you. (like dog+ball And tank+highway).

+1
Level 73
Aug 12, 2019

It doesnt get easier the more time you have. looking at it 1 min or 10, does not make you be any better. you do need a bit of time to let the word set in though, so like 10 seconds ( or whatever time it takes to read them al once would be to short, because by the last you have forgotten the first (well that one usually sticks..) I think you need about 5 seconds per word, to make the word sit and stay, instead of hold and let go ( if you make connections you could need less, because for instance you are remember dog+ ball as one, so only need the time for those combined)

+1
Level 18
Sep 18, 2018
I got 100%. I separated the words into three silly sentences. The crazier the sentence is, the easier it is to remember.

The witch dude peppered Susan's leg like a genius, the fish scones clubbed rock, and then JetPunk feels grape throats to the east.

+1
Level 79
Feb 20, 2019
I grouped the rows, making five images: a hundred jalapeno warts, a bear memory plate (like a commemorative plate of a bear?), a cheetah curtain in the garage, a lime rabbit in the study, and a west African chimp. (That last one was admittedly easy to put together, by coincidence.)
+1
Level 55
Feb 20, 2019
How I remembered the words:

The door to Germany is not lined with a kilt; you may as well shove a cabbage into a cartoon, or roll a grape off a roof. It is the land of pumpkins and chickens, which follow suite with celery. A zebra likes water but will be empty in Liverpool.

+1
Level 70
Feb 28, 2019
Patting my own back here, but I impressed and surprised my own self. I got it on the first go with 2:12 seconds remaining and I had only studied the words for only a short bit. I made up a little story with each word added in as I read them and I said the story over once and that was it. It's funny because I always sucked at these memory games as a kid
+1
Level 76
Feb 28, 2019
a VIKING on a HILL fought George WASHINGTON with a ROCKET until VINCE mediated.

commercial for a new ZESTY, EASY to open SODA featuring lots of GEOMETRY in a ROOM.

a NORMAL CHEETAH eats BEEF until the POPE in SILK interrupts.

+1
Level 48
Feb 28, 2019
1) EMILY wore an OXFORD in her ROOM while her CAT sat on a PLATE.

2) A WOLF wearing COTTON fought a SCORPION in a VALLEY in the RAIN.

3) A PEA and a RUBY tried to REACH the fabled HUNDRED PORCHES.

+1
Level 73
Aug 12, 2019
How do you wear oxford? I have never heard it used as a noun, very curious to what you are referring.
+1
Level 91
Feb 28, 2019
What?
+1
Level 80
Feb 28, 2019
A key from the ocean walked to the north and searched up on Wikipedia a person named Olivia who is a geisha from Japan. It then took the risk to spray some acid on to an elm. It said, 'I want to hear from the hippo who lives in the castle by the beach and the turtle who lives with him'.
+1
Level 66
Mar 1, 2019
Great idea for a quiz. Thanks QM
+1
Level 17
Mar 1, 2019
The tip really helped
+1
Level 47
Mar 1, 2019
Silk beef playing hockey with an islam hat on a shelf made of cotton fan with an onion rust against a dragon with a spoon in norway- arson waist(couldnt make up anything for the last 2)
+1
Level 55
Mar 2, 2019
100%!
+1
Level 73
May 3, 2019
I made up a story for the first two columns and then answered the third column right away. 13/15 -- pretty good for a brain injury kid.
+1
Level 73
Aug 12, 2019
I got them all aswell and have memory issues too, it is a bit better than a few years ago, enough to hide it for others (by changing the subject for instance when i do get lost) But I notice it every second. When playing a game I allways used to keep score, now adding 15+8 can take 5 seconds instead of 0.05 but what seems an eternity to you others don;t notice.

Thankfully I can read, somewhat.., again, because it was by the 4th word I had already forgotten what I had read. And actually same with talking, talking felt rather pointless because after a few words I didnt know what I was saying anymore :/ I still often lose track of what I was gonna say but it isnt a total blank/black hole anymore, just like when someone cant think of a song, just out of reach. only that several times an hour (with more complicated stuff, personal or explaining a viewpoint, as opposed to talking about what is happening near/around you. it is more like very few minutes. Still, loooads better than it was

+1
Level 63
Oct 18, 2019
As a lot of people here did, I made up a story. Something about Hercules being the king of phones. And the Sam(wise) eating celery. :D But I got tired by the last row so I did not inlcude all of them. Could not remember the 2nd last one. But I'm very happy with 14/15.
+1
Level 86
Nov 14, 2019
This quiz was great, but reading the comments/stories was pretty entertaining.

Mine was...

TENNIS ACE, ADAM, SNOREd in his SNOOKER CAPE while sitting at his DESK-TYPE THRONE, as his BOTTLE-nose DOLPHIN swam in the SALT SEA overlooked by his TREE GARDEN.

+2
Level 69
Apr 20, 2020
My story:

A GOAT and a LOBSTER were KICKed out of a MANSION. It was a BIZARRE affair. They had TIN EARS that scraped on the WALLs, which annoyed the HAMSTER who was trying to eat his SALAD. Their EXODUS had a happy ending, though: they WAISTed no time, put on their CAPs and went to live with the ZEBRA in his FJORD.

+2
Level 70
Apr 20, 2020
My story: holding a NICKEL and a PLATE, a girl named PAULINE JUMPed in her NORMAL SHOE watching a RABBIT POET turn GREEN after seeing a HIPPO FLOCK to JAKARTA, rumoured to be the LAND of TOAD RUST.
+1
Level 5
Apr 21, 2020
Viva España
+1
Level 80
Apr 21, 2020
I did not make up a story. I formed a mental image of both a zebra in a witch hat holding its finger in a bag of milk to steep and a furry Liverpool soccer fan in a river with a mug that's empty except for one molecule, a knife in his mouth, false white teeth, and a tiny little German hat.
+1
Level 17
May 21, 2020
Sounds like something from "Harry Potter"
+1
Level 66
Jun 10, 2020
Just an idea, how about a countries or capitals version?
+1
Level 60
Sep 27, 2020
An uncle and a niece put their tongues in a pond of nitrogen. That's my favourite story I had for memorisation.
+1
Level 40
Oct 24, 2020
I made it a song!
+1
Level 32
Nov 26, 2020
I only got 5 points!
+1
Level 46
Dec 13, 2020
good quiz. keep it up
+1
Level 26
Dec 13, 2020
yall are being difficult. mine was simply theres an ANT who says BOO and hes protecting an OPAL with a LASSO. hes also a QUATERBACK for the SKY made with FUR. NEVERMORE will the SUN shine unless you stand on a TOWER. remember to wear you SHOES like a NORMAL person to go and play SOCCER. eat more RED RADISHES
+5
Level 60
Dec 13, 2020
Person, woman, man, camera, TV!
+1
Level 34
Dec 13, 2020
Making a story up helps so much. For me I did: ADAM the DRAGON had a WART on his CHEST,STOMACH, and CHEEK because his SISTER from the MOUNTAIN feed him LEMON and PEA. If you can not find a way to use the other words just type them out as soon as the quiz starts.
+1
Level 65
Dec 17, 2020
Person Woman Man Camera TV
+1
Level 41
Mar 22, 2021
make it a song, the easiest way for me
+1
Level 65
Apr 19, 2021
JUST SCREENSHOT IT HAHAHA SO EASY
+1
Level 53
May 27, 2021
Except that doing that simply defeats the purpose of the quiz...
+1
Level 37
Apr 27, 2021
The Movie I watched in Spain was normal.

The Frisbee was as white as a sheep.

The Corn in Japan is sapphire.

The scorpion is a sweet as a cricket.

The rat wore a jacket on it's chest.

+1
Level 49
Oct 28, 2021
Im soooooo baad at this bro
+2
Level 49
Nov 29, 2021
Everyone making up stories here, while I got it all first time just by rhyming words and repeating them rythmically. I got:

risk, Paris, sofa, snake, scarf, cabbage, quarterback, dog, king, pound, moat, leather, floor, jump, throat

So I put it this way:

Risk, dog, king, moat

Floor, jump, throat, pound

Sofa, snake, scarf

Paris, quarterback

Cabbage

Leather

+1
Level 74
Dec 19, 2021
My words were deer, mouth, cry, dish, couch, land, iron, glue, lion, ocean, room, soda, paper, ant, and lobster and the story I made up was

Iron-Man is throwing money while drinking soda and eating lobster on a lion sitting on a couch glued to the floor talking to a deer that he wants to eat while his mouth is watering and he's so hungry he's crying an ocean on a bunch of ants in the room next to the kitchen where the dishes are being washed on land.

+1
Level 70
Dec 19, 2021
That's OK doing the quiz once. I did the quiz several times one after another and I couldn't tell if Godzilla was eating the lobster with a fork or the owl combed it's hair and became a genius ....... etc etc
+1
Level 66
May 18, 2022
14 / 15 on my first try

I forgot mansion

+1
Level 58
Jun 27, 2022
Maybe the quiz would be better if the words were concealed before the timer starts, then on starting the quiz the words would appear and there would then be a set time (maybe 30 seconds) to see the words before they were then hidden....?
+1
Level 23
Jul 2, 2022
i didn’t attempt this cuz i know i’ll just fail lol i’m always thinking of something 💀
+1
Level 56
Feb 9, 2023
oh my god i did it
+1
Level 68
Mar 9, 2023
I got London, England, Scotland, France, and Tokyo all in the same quiz! Not in the same column, though. :P
+1
Level 65
May 16, 2023
WHAT IS A SORBET?!
+1
Level 34
Jul 13, 2023
I actually have a really good trick for this, if you just make up a story to connect the words together it's way easier to memorize a sentence or two with a little tale about them than it is to memorize 15 separate words! I got 100% on my first try doing this. LOL the more you know ;)
+1
Level 50
Jul 13, 2023
I actually have an even better trick for this. All you have to do to memorize them is instead of thinking of it as fifteen separate words, all you have to do it craft up a little tale consisting of only a sentence or two and this way its easier with the made up story you made up and that's all you have to do:). Happy to spread little pearls of wisdom like this:). Your welcome
+1
Level 34
Jul 13, 2023
Thank you for the tip! It's really similar to the one I said, but I'll give it a try you're way
+1
Level 50
Jul 13, 2023
hahahah happy to help. My granddaughter actually got me into this website years ago. It's so nice. It remind me of good old days in America, back before people like you and my granddaughter were even a thought in my mind whilst I was next to the grasshopper that mind you I was only up to his kneecap at that point. ahhhh. the good old days. Anyway this site reminds me just of that with the wonderful people and tips that we are always sharing with. each other on every thing ew do. LOL. I've love to come up with more tactics for passing some of the harder quizzes on this site like this one above we just did we can call it jetpunktactics dot com LOL what do you think xoxo tks
+1
Level 34
Jul 13, 2023
I find it really sweet that you think I'm your granddaughter's age! Unless you're granddaighter is an old curmudgeon like me then you're in for a surprise LOL! My own granddaughter showed me this site and I love taking quizzes to keep my mind young LOL
+1
Level 50
Jul 13, 2023
ohhh! I would have never guessed but oh. well I guess that's how it is these days on the internet
+1
Level 48
Nov 27, 2023
Hindu Pope in China rode a Sheep with Fur and made Record planting Eggplant and Spinach.

meanwhile a Pond Shark in Holland rode a Diamond Bike and crashed in Gator('s) Chest.

It actually took me no more than 2 minutes to remember this. Word starting with Uppercase are the 15 words used in quiz.

+2
Level 66
Nov 27, 2023
Nobody asked, but here's my strategy:

Take the last 9 words and separate them into three groups of 3 by creating some kind of phrase with each trio. Then look at the first 6 words, repeat them once or twice, hit "start" and run them off as fast as you can. At that point all you need is your three little phrases and boom done.

Guaranteed 100% every time

+1
Level 54
Nov 29, 2023
My strategy:

1. I open the DOOR, and there are OCTOPUS eating AVOCADO, and some guy SAM holding his WAIST

2. CAT WALKS, on WIKIPEDIA there is FALSE info about JAPAN

3. Since QUARTERBACK is stronger than you, it is a RISK to CHEER with him.

4. The last 2 just remember randomly.

+1
Level 54
Apr 2, 2024
Never TASTE the SLIPPERs that you wore playing SOCCER, you TIN LION.

The GREEN GEM matched the BOTTLE on the APPLE print DRESS.

The ZODIAC killer was my UNCLE, but the worst thing he ever did was throw up some PIZZA while SWIMming in the TOILET.

+1
Level 43
Nov 17, 2024
my strategy: just remember them all. did it in 18 seconds.
+1
Level 24
Dec 20, 2024
The dolphin eagle king was eating a jalapeno
+1
Level 44
Feb 12, 2025
i can just take a photo
+1
Level 20
Apr 8, 2025
ez
+1
Level 44
May 4, 2025
OLIVIA, who has a PROPER HEAD, one day lays on the SOFA, and starts to SNORE, wherre she dreams about HERCULES riding an ELEPHANT . but of course, all of that is FALSE, so she ACEs trying to wake up, which is SWEET. But shes hungry and tries to be healthy so she eats an APPLE and a PEAR. but that doesnt cure her hunger so she walks to the kitchen to get a PIZZA, but stubs her TOE on the way. EXODUS