Scarecrow Shuffle
Play Scarecrow Shuffle free online. A soul hides under one pumpkin, the scarecrow shuffles them all, and you pick where it went. Faster swaps every round.
How to Play Scarecrow Shuffle
A grinning scarecrow runs a little game on a wooden table at the edge of a pumpkin field. A small glowing soul is placed under one of the pumpkins. Then the scarecrow shuffles the pumpkins around, swapping two at a time.
When the shuffle stops, pick the pumpkin you think the soul is under. Pick right and you win the round. Pick wrong and you lose one of three lives, and the scarecrow lifts the right pumpkin so you can see where the soul went.
Every round the shuffle gets longer and faster. From round 5 a fourth pumpkin joins the table, and from round 10 a fifth. From round 8 the scarecrow sometimes swaps two pairs at the same moment, which makes it much harder to follow.
Each round won is worth more points than the last, and a streak of rounds without a miss earns a bonus.
Controls
Touch
- Tap the pumpkin you think hides the soul.
Mouse
- Click a pumpkin to pick it.
Keyboard
- Number keys 1 to 5 pick the pumpkins from left to right, or use Left and Right and press Space. P or Escape pauses, M mutes.
Tips and Tricks
- Keep your eyes on one pumpkin only and ignore the rest. Trying to watch the whole table is how you lose track.
- Look slightly above the pumpkins rather than at them. Movement is easier to follow out of the corner of your eye.
- When two pairs swap at once, follow the pair that contains your pumpkin and let the other one go.
- If you lose track, pick the pumpkin nearest where you last saw it. The scarecrow does not cheat by moving the soul.
About the Game
Scarecrow Shuffle is the old cups-and-ball trick turned into a quick reflex and focus test. Each round takes a few seconds, and the gentle ramp from three slow pumpkins to five fast ones gives every run a clear moment where it starts to get hard.
It is set under strings of carnival bulbs at night, with carved pumpkins and a lanky scarecrow that bobs as it shuffles. It plays well on a phone held upright. Your best score is kept in this browser and can go on the Top 10 board.
Scarecrow Shuffle FAQ
Does the soul ever move by itself?
No. It stays under the same pumpkin the whole time. Only the pumpkins move.
How many pumpkins can there be?
Three at first, four from round 5, and five from round 10.
What is a double swap?
From round 8 the scarecrow can swap two different pairs of pumpkins at the same moment.
How many wrong picks do I get?
You have three lives. Each wrong pick costs one, and the game ends when they are gone.
