How do I find the answer to a problem I can't do?

If I just search on the problem number it just brings up the problem. I sometimes need a hint.

Just make your best guess and the answer should be shown to you afterwards. What puzzle are you stuck on? Maybe someone here can give you a hint that does’t give away the answer.

But you aren’t supposed to get them all right. Some puzzles are 30 ply deep and have never been answered correctly. Over time the system will learn your skill and give you puzzles that are challenging but not impossible. You can choose your difficulty under account -> settings depending on if you want to practice pattern matching or visualization.

One warning is that the number of puzzles has grown from 2,500 to 10,000, the last of which are being uploaded early this week. The new puzzles don’t have accurate ratings yet so you’ll see some (many?) puzzles that are too hard or too easy. When you get one of these, you have my sympathy, and my thanks. You’re improving the experience for others by pushing these puzzles to where they belong.

Good luck!