PRO Pip Pro unlocks this game in the app. The one-minute demo here is free, at every level.
How to play Vault Cracker
- Each dial hides a missing number.
- Tap in the code, then hit the lock.
- The right code locks the dial, and a wrong one costs 5 seconds.
- Crack all three vaults before the alarm goes off.
What your child learns
It turns missing number problems KS2 children meet in SATs into a heist, and every dial is an inverse operations game in miniature. These are the KS2 skills it practises.
- Missing number problems
- Inverse operations
- Balancing both sides of an equation
- Times tables to 12 × 12
Real examples from the game:
Levels and difficulty
A run is three vaults of four dials inside a 90-second alarm. Vault 1 uses one-step facts up to the 10 times table, vault 2 mixes × and ÷ up to 12, and vault 3 uses two-step balances.
The last dial in each vault is always the hardest.
Pip moves your child up when they are ready and eases off when they struggle. Each run is short and focused, so it fits before school or homework.
Every level, in the free Pip app
Vault Cracker is part of Pip Pro in the app, with every level and saved progress.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Teach the inverse first: to find ? in ? × 7 = 42, work out 42 ÷ 7.
- For balances like 6 × 8 = 12 × ?, work out the known side (48) before anything else.
- Missing number questions appear in KS2 SATs and 11+ maths papers, so this is real exam practice.
Vault Cracker FAQs
Is Vault Cracker free?+
The one-minute demo on this page is free. The full game, with every level, is part of Pip Pro in the app.
Can I play Vault Cracker online?+
Yes, for one minute. Press Play above to try the demo in your browser with nothing to install, then carry on in the Pip app.
What age is Vault Cracker for?+
Years 4 to 6, within KS2 (ages 7 to 11). The game adapts, so it suits a wide range of children.
Does Vault Cracker work on iPad?+
Yes. The demo works in Safari on iPad, and the full game is in the Pip app for iPad, iPhone, Android and Fire tablets.
What are missing number problems in KS2?+
They are calculations with one number hidden, such as 56 ÷ ? = 8. Children solve them with the inverse operation.
What are inverse operations?+
Operations that undo each other: multiplication and division, addition and subtraction. If 6 × 7 = 42, then 42 ÷ 7 = 6.
More games like this
More maths games in the arcade, plus free practice pages.
Number Smash PRO
Tap a colour group whose numbers hit the target, all the way up to Make 24.
Pip Dash FREE
Steer Pip into the lane with the right answer before the fact rushes past.
Pip Match FREE
Flip two cards and match each times table fact with its answer.
Rocket Run PRO
Fly into the asteroid that answers each times table or division fact.
Bookmark the arcade
- On a computer: press Ctrl and D, or Cmd and D on a Mac.
- On iPad or iPhone: tap Share, then Add to Home Screen.
- On Android: tap the menu, then Add to Home screen.
