About Movie Sift
A daily movie pattern-recognition puzzle.
What is Movie Sift?
Every day there's one hidden rule about movies — something like “directed by Christopher Nolan” or “set in space.” You never see the rule. Instead, you sift: submit films one at a time and the board tells you whether each one fits. From the contrast between the YES films and the NO films, you reason your way to the pattern.
It's a game of inductive reasoning, not movie trivia — you're not recalling facts, you're spotting what a set of films has in common. One fresh puzzle goes live each day. No account needed; jump straight in.
How to play
The hidden rule
Every puzzle has a single hidden rule about movies — like “movies starring Tom Hanks” or “films that won Best Picture”. You don't see the rule. You have to figure it out.
Submit films, get YES or NO
Search for any movie and submit it. The board tells you whether it fits the rule.
Patterns emerge from the contrast between YES and NO.
Solve in 5 YES picks
Five YES picks solves the puzzle. Fewer total picks = more stars.
- ★★★★★Perfect5 picks, no NOs
- ★★★★Great6–8 picks
- ★★★Good9–13 picks
- ★★Solid14–20 picks
- ★Solved21+ picks
Stuck?
Three optional hints, revealed in order: another film that fits, then how many films fit, then the rule's category. Each one costs 1 star.
After 5 picks, you can give up to see the rule. It's recorded as a give-up for the day (no stars) but reveals the answer.