One Umbrella is a free daily planning puzzle. The team is leaving the office, it is pouring, and there is exactly one umbrella. It covers two people. Each person needs a different number of minutes for the way to the parking lot, and a pair walks at the pace of the slower one. After every walk, someone has to bring the umbrella back. Your goal is to get everyone across in the number of minutes shown, which is the fewest possible. Monday has 3 people. Friday has 6.
No sign-up and nothing to install. It runs in your browser on a computer or a phone, and your progress is saved on your device.
- Tap who walks. Choose one or two people on the side of the umbrella, then tap the arrow. The minutes of the walk are shown before you go.
- The slower one sets the pace. A person who needs 2 minutes and one who needs 9 take 9 minutes together.
- The umbrella must come back. Nobody walks through the rain without it, so every walk across is followed by a walk back, until all are over.
- Stuck? The lightbulb shows who should walk next, or undoes a walk when the target is out of reach.
How to play One Umbrella
- Look at the numbers. Each one is the minutes that person needs for the way.
- Tap one or two people at the office, then tap the arrow to send them across.
- Choose who walks the umbrella back. Usually one fast person is the cheapest.
- You win when everyone is at the parking lot and the minutes used are not more than the target.
What you see
| Part | What it means |
|---|---|
| Colored circle | A person. The number is the minutes they need. |
| Yellow ring | This person is chosen for the next walk. |
| Umbrella | Shows on which side the umbrella is. Only people on that side can walk. |
| Arrow button | Starts the walk. It points back when the umbrella has to return. |
| Minutes | Minutes used so far, next to the fewest possible. |
| Walks | Every walk so far, with its direction and minutes. |
Tips for the fewest minutes
- Let a fast walker carry the umbrella back. Every minute of a return walk is pure cost.
- Do not always escort. Letting the fastest person walk everyone over one by one is simple, but from Wednesday on it is not the best plan.
- Send the two slowest together. Then their long walk is paid only once. For this, a fast person must already wait on the other side to bring the umbrella back.
- Use the two fastest as a team. Both cross first, and one returns. After the slow pair has crossed, the other fast walker returns.
- Compare the two plans. For each slow pair, add up both ways and take the cheaper one. On Friday the best plan mixes them.
How the week gets harder
| Day | People | Walks in the best plan | Fewest minutes | What it takes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 3 | 3 | 6 to 20 | One fast person carries the umbrella back |
| Tuesday | 4 | 5 | 11 to 39 | The fastest person escorts everyone |
| Wednesday | 4 | 5 | 13 to 30 | The two slowest walk together |
| Thursday | 5 | 7 | 18 to 48 | Pair the slow walkers at the right moment |
| Friday | 6 | 9 | 26 to 60 | Both ideas in one plan |
Saturday plays like a Wednesday and Sunday like a Tuesday.
Frequently asked questions
Is One Umbrella free?
Yes. There is no account, no download and no paywall.
Is this the bridge and torch puzzle?
It uses the same idea as that classic logic puzzle: a group has to cross with one item that only two can share. Here it is an umbrella on a rainy day, with new numbers every day.
Do I have to match the fewest minutes?
Yes. The number shown is the smallest possible, and the puzzle is solved when you match it. If you need more, undo some walks and try another order.
Is there only one right order?
No. Often several orders use the same number of minutes. Any of them wins.
How does the game know the fewest minutes?
A program checks every possible order of walks for each day.
When does the new puzzle appear?
At midnight in your local time.
Can I play earlier puzzles?
Yes. Open the calendar button at the top of the game and pick any day from the past eight weeks.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Tap the people, then tap the arrow.
More to play on WiseChecker
- Browser Games: every WiseChecker game in one place.
- Clean Desk: remember the desk and find what is gone.
- No Blind Spots: place cameras so that no square is a blind spot.
- Cell Value: find the number behind every letter.
- File Pairs: turn over two cards and find the pairs.