Part A: click 1β2β3...β25 in order. Part B: alternate number and letter, 1βAβ2βB... Classic neuropsychological speed & flexibility test.
The Trail Making Test (TMT) is one of the most widely used neuropsychological assessments in clinical practice, originally developed as part of the US Army's cognitive testing battery in the 1940s. Part A measures pure visual scanning and processing speed by connecting numbers in order, while Part B adds a genuinely different cognitive demand - task switching - by requiring you to alternate between two categories (numbers and letters) on every click.
The gap between your Part A and Part B times (often called the "B minus A" score) is specifically used in clinical settings to isolate cognitive flexibility from raw processing speed - since Part B includes everything Part A tests plus the extra switching demand, the difference between the two is a purer measure of executive function. This free trail making test lets you practice both parts with instant timing.
Clinicians use the Trail Making Test as part of broader neuropsychological batteries to screen for cognitive changes associated with aging, traumatic brain injury, and certain neurological conditions, since it's sensitive to even mild processing speed and executive function deficits that other tests might miss.
A quick full-grid scan to locate the next 2-3 targets before clicking reduces wasted eye movement.
The number-letter switch is the hardest part - deliberate practice on Part B alone builds task-switching speed fastest.
A wrong click costs more time than a brief pause to confirm - accuracy and speed together determine your final time.
Psychology and neuropsychology students, individuals tracking their own cognitive health over time, and anyone curious about the classic clinical processing-speed and executive-function measure use this free online version.
Switching between two categories (numbers and letters) on every single move adds a genuine cognitive cost beyond pure scanning speed - this is expected and normal, even for high performers.
Yes - the Trail Making Test is a standard part of many neuropsychological batteries used to screen for cognitive changes, though this version is for self-tracking entertainment, not diagnosis.
Yes, completely free with both Part A and Part B modes and instant timing results.
It's a classic neuropsychological test where you connect numbered (and sometimes alternating lettered) circles in sequence as quickly as possible, measuring processing speed and cognitive flexibility.
Part A tests pure visual scanning and processing speed with numbers only, while Part B adds alternating between numbers and letters, testing cognitive flexibility and task-switching.
Slower completion times, especially on the alternating version, can reflect general cognitive slowing and are used clinically alongside other measures to assess processing speed and executive function.
Yes, performance improves somewhat with repeated exposure since familiarity with the format reduces search time, which is why clinical use often accounts for practice effects.