How to Play Solo
Solo is the default way to play Sorting History. Pick your categories, set your difficulty, and build your timeline at your own pace. Save mid-game and come back later if life interrupts.
Setting Up a Solo Game
- Tap Play on the main menu.
- Choose your game mode:
- Sorting History — place events in chronological order on a timeline
- History Pinpoint — guess the exact year an event happened (Historian tier)
- Select Solo as your play type.
- Pick your categories. Choose one for a focused game or mix several for variety. Use presets like "Wars & Politics" or "Pop Culture" for quick setup, or save your own favorite combinations.
- Set your scoring mode:
- Friendly — +2 for correct, no penalty for wrong. Great for learning.
- Competitive — +2 for correct, -1 for wrong. Balanced challenge.
- Expert — +3 for correct, -2 for wrong. Every placement matters.
- Choose game length:
Length Rounds Time Sprint 5 ~3 min Normal 10 ~5 min Marathon 15 ~8 min Ultra Marathon 20 ~12 min Epic 30 ~18 min - Tap Start.
During the Game
Each round, an event card appears with a title and description. Your job depends on the mode:
- Sorting History: Drag the event to the correct position on the growing timeline. Place it before, after, or between existing events based on when it happened.
- History Pinpoint: Enter your best guess for the year using the number pad. Use the arrows to fine-tune by ±1, ±10, or ±100 years.
After each placement or guess, the game reveals the answer and shows whether you were right.
Save & Resume
Need to stop mid-game? Solo games save automatically. A Resume Game button appears on the main menu when you have a saved game. You'll pick up from the exact round where you left off.
After the Game
When all rounds are complete, the results screen shows:
- Your score — total points earned
- Accuracy — percentage of correct placements
- Letter grade — from S+ (best) to F
- Category and time taken
For details on how grades and scoring work, see Tips, Strategy, and Scoring.
Recommended First Game
If you've never played before:
- Mode: Sorting History
- Play type: Solo
- Category: One you know well (Music & Entertainment is a crowd favorite)
- Scoring: Friendly (no penalties)
- Length: Sprint (5 rounds, under 3 minutes)
This gives you a quick feel for the mechanic without any pressure. Once you're comfortable, try Competitive mode, longer games, or mix multiple categories.
More Guides
- How to Play Sorting History — the core timeline game
- How to Play the Daily Challenge — daily 4-event puzzle
- How to Play History Pinpoint — guess the exact year
- How to Play Pass & Play — one device, multiple teams
- How to Play Network Play — separate devices over WiFi
- Tips, Strategy, and Scoring
Ready to Sort History?
Sorting History launches April 2026 with 12 categories, 1,200+ events, and a free tier. Be the first to know.
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