Pause, Scale or Wait?

How the calls are made

• Each puzzle shows an ad set with its spend, results, cost per result against a target, click rate, frequency and how long it has run.
• You choose pause, scale or wait. Then the game says which call a careful media buyer would make and why.
• The five ad sets are made up and chosen from the date, so everyone gets the same puzzle each day. Practice mode gives you more.
• The rules behind the answers are plain rules of thumb: enough results before judging, learning phase, frequency, click rate and how far cost is from target.
• Hiring? Create an interview challenge in your industry. The candidate plays without feedback and sends you a report link with their score by skill and follow-up questions.

Rules of thumb behind the answers

• Scale when cost per result is well under target, there are enough results to trust it, frequency is low, it is out of learning and the budget is limiting it. Raise it about 15 to 20% at a time.
• Pause when a fair chance has passed and cost is far over target, when clicks bring no results (look after the click), when frequency is high and click rate is falling, or when almost nobody clicks.
• Wait in the learning phase, with too little data, after one bad day, right after a big edit, when the results are too few, or when the goal is awareness.

How to use the result

The answers are rules of thumb for teaching, not a verdict on a real account. Your own account's normal matters more than any single rule. Use the reasons as a checklist when you review real ad sets.

Common questions

Are these real ad sets?

No. They are made up to teach one idea each. The numbers are realistic, but they do not come from any account.

Why is the answer often wait?

Most expensive mistakes are made by acting too early: editing during learning, judging on a few results, or reacting to one bad day. Knowing when not to touch an ad set is half of the skill.

How do you decide when to scale?

Cost per result well under target, enough results to trust it (about 8 to 10 or more), low frequency, out of learning, and then a rise of about 15 to 20% at a time.

Does it store my answers?

Only in your own browser, to keep your streak. Nothing is sent to us.

When does the puzzle change?

At 00:00 UTC every day.

Can I use it to interview a media buyer?

Yes. Pick an industry and the number of ad sets, and send the candidate the challenge link. They play without feedback, then send you a report link with their score, strengths and weak spots, and the questions worth asking next. It is a conversation aid, not a certified test.

Can I choose my industry?

Yes, for practice and for interview challenges: e-commerce, lead generation, real estate, SaaS and B2B, local services, education, clinics and health, apps, and restaurants. The rules behind the answers stay the same; the wording and the size of the targets change.

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