Look
A model ship sits on the turntable, seen through the periscope. Some are dazzled in one of six historical styles. A few are plain battleship grey, the controls.
11 November · Armistice Day · 1918 → 2026
Can you read a dazzle ship?
In 1917 and 1918, Britain and America painted thousands of ships like Cubist paintings. The paint wasn't there to hide them. It was meant to make a U-boat commander misjudge which way they were sailing.
The artists tested their designs on model ships, turning them on a turntable and viewing them through a periscope. Now it's your turn: 10 ships, one compass dial. Some are dazzled and some are plain grey controls. Find out how badly the paint fools you.
On the turntable: a dazzled cargo steamer
Periscope down
Which way is this ship sailing? Drag the ship on the dial. You are at the bottom, looking up.
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Report to the Admiralty
Steady Observer
0/1000
Your sightings
How the test works
Judge
Turn the ship on the compass dial to show which way it's heading. Top of the dial is straight away from you, bottom is straight at you.
Compare
We compare your error on dazzled ships with your error on plain ones. That gap is your Dazzle Factor. We also measure your horizon pull, the illusion that recent research found fooled everyone.