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pymetrics Keypress Game: Tap from GO to STOP

Practise a pymetrics-style Keypresses game: tap the spacebar from GO to STOP over three 10-second rounds, then see your speed, steadiness and timing.

Practice: 3 rounds of 10 seconds (under a minute)Also called “pymetrics keypress game”Also called “pymetrics tapping game”

How the practice module works

  1. 01Wait for GO, then press Space (or tap the button) as fast as you can.
  2. 02Stop as soon as you see STOP. Presses before GO or after STOP are counted separately.
  3. 03There are 3 rounds of 10 seconds with a short pause before each one.
  4. 04Holding the key down counts as one press. There is no right answer: press at your own top speed.

Controls

  • Tap: Space or the big Tap button
  • Holding a key down counts as one press

Included in 1 Game Platform Prep (when you choose Harver), All Games Platforms Prep and Full Access. See plans

Task
Press the spacebar repeatedly with your usual hand for a set time (official)
Research task
A finger-tapping test of motor speed, described in pymetrics’ patent (official)
Screen
Press as fast as you can from GO until STOP, possibly over several rounds (prep sites)
GO window
Reported from about 10 seconds up to 60 seconds; not confirmed (prep sites)
Typical speed
One site cites 5–6 taps a second; pymetrics publishes no norm (prep sites)
Right answer
None: pymetrics says its games have no right or wrong answers (official)
Practice version
3 rounds of 10 seconds after a 2–4 second wait, with presses before GO and after STOP counted (Candidate Falcon practice)

What the pymetrics Keypresses game looks at

Keypresses is pymetrics’ version of a finger-tapping test. pymetrics’ patent describes pressing the spacebar again and again with your usual hand for a set time; in a touch version you tap a circle on the screen instead. Prep sites describe a GO signal, pressing as fast as you can, and a STOP signal, possibly repeated over a few rounds.

Finger tapping is a long-standing research measure of simple motor speed. Prep sites add that pymetrics may also look at how steady your speed is from round to round and whether you press before GO or keep pressing after STOP. pymetrics does not publish the length of the GO window; prep sites report anything from about 10 seconds to a minute.

pymetrics says there are no right or wrong answers. Like its other games, Keypresses feeds measures into a model that compares your play with people who do well in the job, so there is no speed you have to reach. The point of practice is to know the format, so the GO and STOP signals do not catch you by surprise.

How the Keypresses practice works

  1. Rest one finger of your usual hand on the spacebar, or get ready to tap the on-screen button.
  2. Wait for GO. The wait changes from round to round, so watch the screen rather than counting.
  3. When GO appears, press Space or tap the button as fast as you can. Holding the key down counts as one press.
  4. Stop as soon as STOP appears. Presses before GO or after STOP are counted separately.
  5. After three rounds, read your speed, how steady it was and how you started and stopped.

Keypresses tips

  • Sit comfortably with your wrist resting and press with one finger, not your whole hand.
  • Use a physical keyboard if you can: the real game is played with the spacebar.
  • Keep a rhythm you can hold for the whole window rather than starting flat out.
  • Watch for STOP and lift your finger straight away.
  • Do not hold the key down: only separate presses count.

Common Keypresses mistakes

  • Starting before GO because you expect it.
  • Carrying on for a moment after STOP.
  • Holding the spacebar down instead of pressing it.
  • Tensing your arm, which tires you before the window ends.
  • Treating the game as a test with a speed you must reach.

A short Keypresses practice routine

  1. Read how the game works so the GO and STOP signals are familiar.
  2. Play one practice run on the keyboard you will use for the real game.
  3. Read the review: speed per round, steadiness, and presses before GO or after STOP.
  4. Play once more on another day and keep the same relaxed position.

Keypresses FAQ

How long is the pymetrics Keypresses game?

pymetrics says each of its games takes 1 to 3 minutes. Prep sites disagree about the GO window, from about 10 seconds to 60 seconds, and about the number of rounds. The practice uses three rounds of 10 seconds.

How fast should I tap?

There is no target. pymetrics says its games have no right or wrong answers and compares your play with people who do well in the job. One prep site cites 5–6 taps a second as typical, but pymetrics publishes no norm.

Does holding the spacebar count?

In the practice, holding the key counts as a single press: only separate presses count. Pressing and releasing with one finger is the reliable way to tap fast.

Can I play Keypresses on a phone?

pymetrics’ patent describes a touch version where you tap a circle on the screen, but prep sites advise a computer with a keyboard. The practice works with the spacebar or an on-screen button.

Is this the real pymetrics game?

No. It is an independent practice game built from the public research task and public descriptions, with original art and wording. It is not affiliated with pymetrics or Harver.

Independent practice by Candidate Falcon, based on pymetrics’ public patents and research and on prep-site descriptions. Not affiliated with pymetrics or Harver, and not their scoring. The game, its art and its wording are original, and practice results are not pymetrics scores. For all 12 games, timing, results and retakes, read the free pymetrics test guide.