Morse code memory match
Turn over two cards at a time to pair each letter with its Morse code. Play by sight, where the code cards show dots and dashes, or by sound, where they only play their code. Fewest moves wins.
- Moves
- 0
- Pairs found
- 0 of 8
- Time
- 0:00
- Best (moves)
- –
Find the pairs
- Turn two cards at a time to pair each letter with its Morse.
- The letters come in look-alike pairs, like A and N.
- 1Pick sight or soundThen 6, 8 or 10 pairs, and press Deal
- 2Turn two cardsIn Sound mode, code cards play when turned
- 3Match letter and codeA true pair stays face up and turns green
How to play
- Choose Match by Sight or Sound, and 6, 8 or 10 pairs. Then press Deal.
- Turn a card, then another. In Sound mode a code card plays its letter when you turn it.
- A letter and its own code stay face up and turn green. Anything else turns back after about a second, or as soon as you turn a third card.
- If you turned a letter with its look-alike's code, a note under the board says which code that was.
- Find every pair. The end screen shows your moves and time; press New game to deal again.
What the game does
It is the classic memory card game, with a twist for Morse learners: half the cards are letters and half are codes, and the letters are chosen to be confused.
- Two ways to match. Sight shows the code as dots and dashes. Sound hides it behind a speaker and plays it.
- Three board sizes. 6, 8 or 10 pairs, so 12, 16 or 20 cards.
- Look-alike letters. Every board is dealt from pairs such as A and N, or K and R, that learners often mix up.
- A hint when you are close. Turn A with N's code and it says: that code is N, and
.-is A. - Moves, time and a best. The fewest moves is kept for each mode and board size on this device.
- A daily challenge. On days when Memory match is the featured game, the daily challenge from the games page deals everyone the same board, by sight with 8 pairs.
How it works
The game holds 11 look-alike pairs. For each board it picks whole pairs at random until it has enough letters. Every board size is even, so each letter comes with its look-alike and no letter is left alone.
The look-alikes come in two kinds. Some codes are mirror images: A is .- and N is -., the same marks in reverse order. Others swap every dot for a dash: K is -.- and .-. is R.
In Sound mode each code plays at 18 WPM. By the PARIS standard one unit lasts 1,200 ms divided by the WPM, so a dot is about 67 ms and a dash about 200 ms, with one unit of silence between them. Once a pair is found, its code card shows the dots and dashes, so you can check what you heard.
Examples
The 11 look-alike pairs the boards are dealt from:
| Pair | First | Second | How they differ |
|---|---|---|---|
| A and N | .- | -. | Mirrored |
| D and U | -.. | ..- | Mirrored |
| G and W | --. | .-- | Mirrored |
| B and V | -... | ...- | Mirrored |
| F and L | ..-. | .-.. | Mirrored |
| Q and Y | --.- | -.-- | Mirrored |
| K and R | -.- | .-. | Dots and dashes swapped |
| P and X | .--. | -..- | Dots and dashes swapped |
| S and O | ... | --- | Dots and dashes swapped |
| I and M | .. | -- | Dots and dashes swapped |
| E and T | . | - | Dots and dashes swapped |
By ear, mirrored pairs are the harder kind: A and N have the same two sounds and differ only in which comes first. Say them as “di-dah” and “dah-dit” to hear the difference.
Tips for fewer moves
Turn a new card first, then decide. If its partner is one you have already seen, go for it; if not, turn another unseen card to learn more of the board.
Learn the pairs as pairs. Once you know A is .-, you also know N is the other one, which halves what you need to remember.
In Sound mode, say the rhythm out loud as each code plays. It is much easier to recall “dah-di-dah” than a vague memory of a beep.
Good questions
Frequently asked questions.
About Memory match
How do you play Morse code memory match?
Turn over two cards at a time. Each letter has a partner card with its Morse code.
If the two cards are a letter and its own code, they stay face up; if not, they turn back. Find every pair in as few moves as you can.
Which mode should I play, Sight or Sound?
Start with Sight to learn the shapes, then move to Sound. In Sound mode the code cards only play their letter, so you match a letter to a rhythm. That is how Morse is read on the air, by ear rather than by looking at dots and dashes.
Why are the letters always look-alikes?
Every board is dealt in pairs of letters that are easy to mix up, such as A (.-) and N (-.). Telling them apart is where most learners slip, so the game makes you do it on purpose. When you turn a letter with its look-alike's code, it tells you which is which.
What counts as a move?
Two cards turned is one move, whether they match or not. Your best is the fewest moves for that mode and number of pairs, kept on this device. The clock is shown too, but the best score is by moves.
Can I play with a keyboard?
Yes. Press Tab to move from card to card and Enter or Space to turn one. Screen readers announce each card: face down, a letter, a Morse pattern as dots and dashes, or a playing sound.
What is the fewest moves possible?
The same as the number of pairs: 6 moves for 6 pairs, if every pair you turn is right. That takes luck early on, since you can't know a face-down card. Good memory keeps the extra moves low after that.
How fast does Sound mode play the code?
At 18 WPM, on a 600 Hz tone. By the PARIS standard a dot then lasts 1,200 ÷ 18, about 67 ms, and a dash about 200 ms. That is quick enough that you hear each letter as one rhythm, not a string of beeps to count.
Trust and limits
Private by design.
Honest about limits.
On your device
Runs in your browser
The sounds are made on your device, and your best scores are saved on this device only.Know the limits
What it covers
It covers 22 letters in look-alike pairs (C, H, J and Z are not dealt) and no numbers. On an iPhone, if Sound mode is silent, check the silent switch.Who keeps it
Who keeps it
Maintained by Translate Morse Code, an independent site; last updated November 2026.