Skip to main content
All Arctic Shores tasks
Arctic Shores · Memory

Arctic Shores Tiles Game Practice: Repeat the Sequence, Skip the Distractor

Practise the Arctic Shores Tiles game, also called the tile sequence game: repeat growing sequences of lit tiles and leave out the distractor that appears.

Practice: 2 practice rounds, then until 2 failed rounds in a rowAlso called “tile sequence game”Also called “sequence game”

How the practice task works

  1. 01Tiles light up one at a time. Remember the order.
  2. 02When it says "Your turn", tap the same tiles in the same order.
  3. 03From longer sequences, a tile may flash amber with an X. Leave it out of your answer.
  4. 04Each success adds a tile. Two failed rounds in a row end the run. The first two rounds are practice.

Controls

  • Click the tiles in order
  • Tap the tiles on a phone
  • Tab and Enter also select tiles

Included in the HireVue Games Prep and Full Access plans, with all 11 HireVue games. See plans

Task
Watch tiles light up in order, then tap them back in the same order
What it reportedly measures
Visuospatial short-term memory while ignoring distractions (candidate-reported)
Reported length
About 3–6 minutes, ending after repeated failed rounds
Practice version
Two unscored rounds, then sequences from 3 tiles until two failures in a row
Controls
Click or tap the tiles; Tab and Enter work too

What the Tiles task tests

Tiles, often called the tile sequence or sequence game, is a memory task. Candidates describe a grid of tiles with icons that light up one at a time. When the sequence ends you tap the same tiles in the same order. Each correct round adds to the sequence, so it keeps getting longer until you can no longer repeat it. An older version in the Skyrise City app reportedly used stamped leaflets instead of lit tiles.

Prep sites say that later rounds introduce a different icon, often described as a cross, which is not part of the sequence and must be left out of your answer. Most candidate guides say two failed rounds in a row end the task, though others say one or three. Arctic Shores does not publish what Tiles measures; it resembles the Corsi block-tapping test, a classic measure of visuospatial working memory.

How the Tiles practice works

  1. Start with two practice rounds of three tiles. They are not counted.
  2. Watch the board: each tile lights up briefly, one after another.
  3. When the prompt says “Your turn”, tap the tiles in the same order. Your taps are not marked right or wrong until the round ends.
  4. From five-tile sequences, a tile may flash amber with an X during playback. Leave it out of your answer.
  5. Each correct round adds one tile; a failed round repeats the same length with a new sequence. Two failures in a row end the run.
  6. Review your longest sequence, your longest with a distractor, and which kind of error you made most.

Tiles tips

  • Group the sequence into shapes, such as “top row left to right, then down”, instead of remembering single tiles.
  • Say the pattern to yourself in short chunks of two or three tiles as it plays.
  • When the amber X appears, consciously drop it straight away rather than trying to remember it and remove it later.
  • Tap at a steady pace. Rushing the first taps causes order errors on long sequences.
  • Wait for the playback to finish completely before you reach for the first tile.

Common Tiles mistakes

  • Swapping two neighbouring tiles in a long sequence: the right tiles in the wrong order still fails the round.
  • Tapping the distractor because it was the most recent flash.
  • Trying to memorise tile numbers or icons instead of positions.
  • Losing focus after a failed round. With a two-failure rule, the next round matters most.

A short Tiles practice routine

  1. Do one run and note the longest sequence you repeated and your main error type.
  2. Do a second run using one chunking strategy throughout, and compare.
  3. On another day, focus only on the distractor rounds and check your span with a distractor.
  4. Before the real assessment, complete the official practice task in your invitation.

Tiles FAQ

Is the Arctic Shores sequence game the same as Tiles?

Yes. Candidates and prep sites use Tiles, Tile Sequence and Sequence for the same memory task. An older Skyrise City version called Leaflets reportedly used stamps instead of lit tiles.

What is the distractor in the Tiles game?

Prep sites describe a second icon, often a cross, that appears in later rounds and is not part of the sequence. You leave it out of your answer. Arctic Shores has not published the exact rule.

How does the Tiles task end?

Most candidate guides say it ends after two failed rounds in a row; others report one or three. Candidate Falcon’s practice uses two, and also stops at 12 tiles or 40 rounds.

Should you practise for Arctic Shores?

Arctic Shores says you do not need to practise and should respond naturally. Practice can make the format and pace familiar so they do not distract you. Candidate Falcon does not claim it changes your Arctic Shores results.

How are Tiles results reported?

Arctic Shores does not publish task-level scoring. If your employer shares feedback, it shows behaviours on a 1 to 10 spectrum compared with a norm group. Candidate Falcon’s summary shows only your own practice span and errors.

Arctic Shores does not publish its task list, so task names and mechanics on this page come from candidate reports. Candidate Falcon is not affiliated with Arctic Shores, and practice results are not Arctic Shores scores. For the official facts on results, devices and adjustments, read the Arctic Shores assessment guide.