Hang out the washing on the line so that the probability words on the t-shirts are in order with the least likely on the left.
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The objective of this puzzle is to drag the shirts onto the washing line so that the probability words are in order. The words describing the lowest probability should be on the left and those describing the highest probability on the right.
The words provided do not describe an exact probability value and their order is open to individual interpretation. The software checks the positions of the words and judges them against a set of rules which allow for a variety of correct answers.
The instructions don't specifically ask you to consider the line as a linear scale from 0 to 1 though it is assumed most people will assume this. The software allows for the fact that it seems natural to place the shirts on the line without touching each other and simply requires the shirts to be arranged in order. You can though put one shirt in front of another if you feel their words describe exactly the same probability.
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If you like this activity you may want to try Likelihood, a drag and drop activity with real life probability situations.
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See the National Curriculum page for links to related online activities and resources.
Transum,
Monday, April 13, 2026
"One phrase I have been thinking about recently is “realistically possible”. It sounds meaningful, but I wonder how many people could actually turn it into a number on a probability scale. That thought stayed with me, so I was interested to hear an episode of BBC Radio 4’s More or Less looking at the language people use when talking about chance and uncertainty.
In the programme, researcher Adam Kucharski explores the rather slippery words often used in the media, such as “likely”, “possible” and similar expressions. He talks about a quiz he created to find out how different people interpret these phrases, and the results show just how varied those interpretations can be. What sounds clear to one person may suggest a very different probability to someone else. It is a good reminder that words about chance are not always as precise as they first appear."