What it is
Tensor Golf is a puzzle game for practising PyTorch tensor operations. Each challenge asks you to manipulate tensors to reach a target result, and your score improves the fewer operations you use — hence the golf theme. It's aimed at people who understand ML concepts but want to build fluency in implementing them in PyTorch.
From the developer
In the developer’s own words, from tensor.golf.
Hello HN! Excited to share Tensor Golf! I'm excited to share this with everyone here, I've been seeing a lot of requests for tensor manipulation exercises and so I thought I'd create a place to build confidence and fluency in working with PyTorch tensors! I've found that understanding ML concepts and mathematics is one thing, but implementing them in PyTorch is a totally seperate beast. Tensor Golf lets you practise working with tensors in a puzzle format, with the least number of operations giving you a better score - hence the "golf" part. The core set of practise questions are free and I'm considering open sourcing the core set of puzzles :) Let me know if you find this useful! ps: 1. this is my first show hn ever, pls go easy lol 2. more than 50 people have signed up and are loving it so far!! 3. you have to login to try it - sorry, not a huge fan of allowing access to the execution backend without having emails attached to prevent abuse
Editor takes
“A single-mechanic concept executed with tight focus — the golf-style scoring gives the small scope real depth, though the login wall before you can even swing feels like an unnecessary handicap for a game this lean.”
“Short drills are perfect for a coffee break, but forcing an email signup before you can even try one hole kills the pick-up-and-play vibe, and there's no mention of mobile or progress saving for commuters.”
“The rules are admirably clear — solve the tensor task with the fewest operations — but the real aha moment is finding that minimal solution, and that's earned through genuine PyTorch insight rather than trickery.”
“The difficulty curve ramps from basic reshaping to gnarly reductions, and the responsiveness is instant since it's just code execution, but there's no timer or leaderboard pressure to make the 'golf' feel competitive.”
How to play
You solve tensor manipulation puzzles by writing PyTorch code. The goal is to achieve the required tensor transformation using as few operations as possible, since a lower operation count yields a better score. The core set of practice questions is free to play, and an account is required to access the execution backend.
Tips
- Think about the minimal sequence of operations before writing code — planning ahead often reveals shorter solutions.
- Review your solutions after solving to see where you could trim redundant steps.
- Use the free core puzzles to build confidence before tackling more complex tensor challenges.
Questions
Do I need to know PyTorch to play?
Yes — the game is designed for people already learning PyTorch who want to practise tensor operations in a puzzle format.
Why do I need to log in?
A login is required to prevent abuse of the execution backend that runs your code.
Is the core content free?
Yes, the core set of practice questions is free, and the developer is considering open-sourcing them.
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