Spatial span / free online test
Corsi block-tapping test
Watch a sequence of blocks light up, then tap them back in the same order. The sequence grows until you miss twice, revealing your spatial memory span.
Ready when you are
Watch the blocks light up one at a time, then tap them in the same order. The sequence starts at two blocks and grows by one each time you get it right. Two misses at the same length end the test.
About 2–4 minutes. Your best span is kept only on this device.
Free, no account needed. Want a daily, levelled version? Try Signal Sequence
- 01
Nine blocks sit in a fixed, irregular layout. A few of them light up one at a time, about one per second.
- 02
When the sequence ends, tap the same blocks in the same order. Each block appears at most once per sequence.
- 03
Get it right and the next sequence is one block longer. Miss, and you get a second try at the same length.
- 04
The test ends after two misses at the same length, or after a correct sequence of nine. Your span is the longest sequence you repeated correctly.
A test from a neuropsychology lab.
The block-tapping task was developed by Philip Corsi in the early 1970s, during his doctoral research with Brenda Milner at the Montreal Neurological Institute. The original used nine wooden cubes fixed to a board. The examiner tapped a sequence and the participant copied it.
It became one of the most widely used measures of visuospatial short-term memory, often paired with verbal span tasks to compare memory for locations with memory for words or digits. Published versions differ in their block layout, timing and stopping rule, so scores from different versions are not directly comparable.
Trace the path.
Instead of remembering separate blocks, follow the sequence as a shape your eye draws across the board. For longer sequences, split the path into two or three short segments. Why grouping helps
Questions about the Corsi test
What does the Corsi test measure?+
It is a classic measure of visuospatial short-term memory: how many locations you can hold in order. Researchers use it as the spatial counterpart of verbal span tasks such as digit span.
How is this version different from a clinical Corsi test?+
In a clinic or lab, an examiner taps wooden blocks on a board and follows a fixed administration and scoring protocol. This is an on-screen game with random sequences and our own timing. It is useful for curiosity and practice, not for diagnosis or comparison with published norms.
Why does my score change from one try to the next?+
Attention, tiredness, screen size and familiarity with the task all affect performance. Practising the task usually improves it; that improvement is specific to the task rather than a change in memory overall.
Is my result saved?+
Only your best span, and only on this device. It is not linked to an account or sent anywhere. Your daily Mnesica session is recorded separately.
- Corsi, P. M. (1972). Human memory and the medial temporal region of the brain (Doctoral dissertation). McGill University.
- Milner, B. (1971). Interhemispheric differences in the localization of psychological processes in man. British Medical Bulletin, 27(3), 272–277. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.bmb.a070866
- Berch, D. B., Krikorian, R., & Huha, E. M. (1998). The Corsi block-tapping task: Methodological and theoretical considerations. Brain and Cognition, 38(3), 317–338. doi:10.1006/brcg.1998.1039
- Kessels, R. P. C., van Zandvoort, M. J. E., Postma, A., Kappelle, L. J., & de Haan, E. H. F. (2000). The Corsi block-tapping task: Standardization and normative data. Applied Neuropsychology, 7(4), 252–258. doi:10.1207/S15324826AN0704_8