Fermi
THE FERMI GUIDE
Three questions reward a good sense of scale. Build a rough estimate, lock in one answer for each question, and see how your reasoning compares.
In this guide
Fermi at a glance
What is Fermi?
Fermi is a daily estimation game at fermi.gg, published by Flatwhite Studios. Each daily set contains three questions and you get one guess for each. The subject is a difficult-to-know quantity rather than a fact you are expected to recall exactly. The original introduction encourages rough reasoning and offers a built-in calculator, with an answer and example calculation after each submission.[1]
The name refers to Fermi estimation: approaching an unfamiliar quantity through approximate numbers and simple reasoning. You might know enough about the ingredients of a problem to find its scale without knowing the total. The game asks you to use that intuition, not look up the finished answer. Treat the explanation as a chance to check your model of the question.[1]
How to play the three daily questions
Read the question, identify the requested unit and form your estimate. Enter the number and lock it in when ready. One guess per question means the reveal is feedback for learning, not an opportunity to revise that submission. Continue through all three questions to receive the daily result and compare it with other players.[1]
The calculator icon opens the built-in calculator while you are guessing. Use it for arithmetic after choosing your assumptions; it cannot decide whether those assumptions are sensible. Before locking an answer, check whether the prompt asks for a count, a rate, a yearly total or a physical measure. A correct calculation in the wrong unit is still a poor estimate of the requested quantity.[1]
How Fermi’s multiplier score works
Fermi scores how far away you are as a multiple of the real answer. An exact answer is 1×, an estimate off by a factor of two is 2×, and one off by a factor of ten is 10×. Lower is better. Complete all three questions to see the combined daily result rather than judging the set from one question alone.[1]
Check the scale on every question. A very large proportional miss can weaken the daily result even if another answer is excellent. Before submitting, ask whether your number is plausibly in the right order of magnitude. A quick range check helps: imagine a plausible minimum and maximum, then verify that your estimate fits between them.[1]
After a guess, the original experience shows the real answer, example reasoning and how your estimate compares with the player field. Use those views separately: your multiplier describes your own proportional error, while the comparison tells you how others did on that particular question. An impressive relative result does not mean the estimate was exact.[1]
A repeatable approach to napkin math
Start with the dimension of the answer. Then break the question into a small number of factors. For a daily-use total, you might think in terms of people, the fraction who participate and the amount each uses. Write down what each factor means. Avoid a long chain of estimates when one rough anchor and a defensible ratio can get you into the right range.
Stress-test the result before committing. Would it imply more objects per person than seems possible? Would a yearly estimate be smaller than a plausible daily total? Does adding or removing a zero make the model more believable? These checks are especially helpful because multiplier scoring makes a factor-of-ten mistake far more important than a small difference in the final digits.
After the reveal, identify the weakest assumption instead of dismissing the entire approach. Keep the better anchor for future questions, but resist memorizing a fixed number without its date, population or unit. Estimation improves when you understand why an approximate factor is useful.
Daily reset and the archive
The official FAQ gives the reset as midnight ET. That is Eastern Time, so it is not necessarily midnight where you live. Use the displayed Fermi number and date when discussing a puzzle with friends. The same FAQ says the full archive of past puzzles is available from the side menu; it provides an alternative when today’s three questions are finished.[1]
The daily and archive are different contexts for a fair comparison. Agree on the same puzzle before competing, and do not compare a remembered archive answer with a first attempt. The homepage does not publish an archive price or a separate daily-attempt entitlement in the FAQ reviewed here, so follow the current in-game access prompts for any account features.[1]
Fermi FAQ
How many guesses do you get in Fermi?
Each daily set has three questions with one submitted guess per question.[1]
Is a higher or lower Fermi score better?
Lower is better. Exact is 1×, and the game combines the three question multipliers into the final daily score.[1]
Can I use a calculator in Fermi?
Yes. The game provides a built-in calculator; tap its icon while guessing.[1]
When does Fermi reset and can I play old puzzles?
A new puzzle arrives at midnight ET. The official FAQ says the past-puzzle archive is in the side menu.[1]
Sources & verification
Checked · Daily Games editorial desk
Rules and access notes use the sources linked above. Examples and strategy suggestions are our editorial explanations, not guaranteed solutions. Original games can change. How we research guides.
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