One emoji in the grid is not like the others. Find it, tap it and the grid grows. Early levels are easy (a cat among dogs), later ones are fiendish (a grinning face among almost identical grinning faces). Race the clock or play relaxed.
Last updated:
Level 1Score 0Best 0Time 30.0 s
🔍
Find the odd emoji out
One emoji in the grid is different from all the others. Tap it to go to the next level. The grid grows and the emojis get more alike as you go.
Correct tap: +1 level and +2 seconds. Wrong tap: −3 seconds. Score = levels cleared plus a speed bonus.
Advertisement
Advertisement
How to use the Find the Odd Emoji Out
Choose a mode: Against the clock, or Relaxed for no timer.
Press Start game. A grid full of one emoji appears, with exactly one different emoji hidden in it.
Tap the odd one out. You move up a level, gain 2 seconds and the next grid appears.
Avoid wrong taps: each one costs 3 seconds in timed mode.
Keep going until the clock hits zero, then compare with your best score and copy it to challenge friends.
How the levels work
Level
Grid
Emojis on screen
Typical pair
1-2
3 × 3
9
🐶 among 🐱 (very different)
3-4
4 × 4
16
🍕 among 🍔
5-6
5 × 5
25
🍅 among 🍎 (similar shape and color)
7-8
6 × 6
36
🌳 among 🌲
9-10
7 × 7
49
🙃 among 🙂
11-12
8 × 8
64
😃 among 😀 (nearly identical)
13-14
9 × 9
81
🕑 among 🕐
15+
10 × 10
100
😑 among 😐
Tips for finding the odd one out
Don't read every emoji. Relax your eyes and look at the whole grid at once. The odd one often "pops out" from the pattern, especially when its color differs.
Look for the feature that changes. In later levels, the difference is usually the mouth, the eyes, a clock hand or the lit side of the moon. Focus on that part.
Scan row by row when it is hard. For near-identical pairs, sweep left to right, one row at a time, instead of jumping around.
Don't panic-tap. A wrong tap costs 3 seconds, more than the 2 seconds a correct tap earns.
Games like this train visual search: finding a target among distractors. Psychologists call it "pop-out" when a target differs by a simple feature like color, which is found almost instantly no matter how big the grid is, and "serial search" when the target differs only in small details, which takes longer as the grid grows. You can feel both kinds as the levels change.
Frequently asked questions
How does the scoring work?
Each level you clear earns 1 point. Finding the odd emoji in under 1.5 seconds adds 2 bonus points, and under 3 seconds adds 1. Your score and the level you reached are shown when the time runs out.
How does the game get harder?
The grid grows by one row and column every two levels, from 3×3 up to 10×10 (100 emojis). From level 5 the pairs become similar, like a tomato among apples, and from level 10 more and more pairs are near-identical faces, clocks and moon phases.
Why do some emojis look different on my device?
Emojis are drawn by your operating system's font, so Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung designs differ. On every device the odd emoji is a different character from the rest, but a few pairs are harder on some designs than others.
Is there a mode without a timer?
Yes. Relaxed mode has no clock, so you can take your time. It still levels up and gets harder. Press End game whenever you want to stop and see your score.
Is this game good for kids?
Yes. It is a fun way to practise visual attention and scanning. Younger children usually enjoy Relaxed mode, where the first levels with very different emojis are easy wins.
Is my score saved?
Your best score for each mode is stored in your own browser only. Nothing is uploaded, and clearing your browser data resets it.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.