Hisorty
Put history in order, one card at a time
Hisorty (from "sorting history") is a free game you play in your browser. Draw an event, place it on your timeline, and find out whether you got the order right. It is quick to learn, surprisingly hard to master, and you learn something with every card.
How it plays
- Draw a card from the stack. It shows an event, like "Mansa Musa's pilgrimage" or "Jikji printed with metal type", and a short description.
- Place it on your timeline where you think it belongs, then dial in the year.
- The card flips. If it sits in the right order with the cards you already have, it stays. If not, you lose a life.
- Reach your goal before your lives run out. Hit the exact year and the confetti really flies.
Ways to play
- Daily puzzleA new puzzle every day: 4 to 8 events from one period, region or theme. Same puzzle for everyone, with an archive and a result to share.
- SoloBuild your timeline at your own pace. Choose your goal, your lives (1 to 10) and an optional timer.
- PartyUp to 8 players on their own phones, with an invite link. Everyone guesses on the active player's card, and anyone who disagrees can call "Well actually...".
- Your own decksPlay any topic: a period you are studying, your town's history, or a fantasy world. Share decks and puzzles with the community.
History from everywhere, in perspective
Most of us know the history of our own region and little about the rest. Hisorty mixes them on one timeline: the Classic deck has 1,150 events from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe, from the Bronze Age to today. Place Mansa Musa's pilgrimage and you see what Europe, China and the Americas were doing at the same time.
Cards come in six categories: wars and empires, technology and discovery, art, politics, natural disasters, and religion. Filter by world era (from the Bronze Age to the contemporary world) or by named periods such as the Pharaohs of Egypt, Warring States and Han China, the Islamic Golden Age, the Mongol Empire, the Mali and Songhai empires, the Aztec and Inca empires, and Edo Japan.
Every Classic card links to a source that backs up its year, so you can read more about anything you place.
For history fans, fantasy fans and the curious
If you like a daily brain teaser, the daily puzzle is a two-minute habit. If you read fantasy, a deck can have its own calendar and eras: the Ages of Middle-earth work just as well as BCE and CE, and a timeline can even count hours, for the events of a single novel. Achievements, a medieval court soundscape and a dark mode come with it. Hisorty works on phones, tablets and computers, and you can install it like an app.
For classrooms
Hisorty is free for schools, needs no student accounts and can be embedded in a school website or learning platform. Read Hisorty for educators.
Questions
Is Hisorty free?
Yes. Every mode is free to play, without an account or an install. The site is supported by ads, which you can switch off, and by donations.
Do I need an account?
No. You only need a free account to share decks and puzzles with others.
Can I play with friends?
Yes. Party mode is for up to 8 players, each on their own device. Start a game and share the invite link or the four-letter code.
Can I make a deck about a fantasy world or a book?
Yes. Open "How to contribute" in the game for the deck guide. It includes a prompt you can give an AI assistant to draft a deck from your own idea; then check the dates and load the file in the game.
Where do the events come from?
Every Classic card has a source link that backs up its year, such as an encyclopedia, museum or university page. Religion cards use historical, not theological, sources.
How do I get in touch?
Email info@hisorty.nl with ideas, corrections or a deck you would like to see in the game.