PlotSet LogoPlotSet
All chart types

Draw the Line Chart Maker

Show the start of a trend and ask readers to draw the rest. They guess, you reveal the real line and score the result. It's free.

Create a Draw the Line Chart (free)See the gallery

What is a Draw the Line Chart?

A draw the line chart is a line chart with a game built in. Readers see the first part of one or more lines, up to a point you choose, and draw the missing part with a mouse, a finger or the keyboard. When they submit, the real line is drawn in from where their guess began, the gap between the two is shaded, and a message tells them how close they got. Other lines can stay fully visible as context. It works because people commit to a guess before they see the answer, and that makes the real data far more memorable than a finished chart would be.

When to use a Draw the Line Chart

  • You want readers to engage with a trend

    A guess makes the reader invest in the answer before seeing it, so the result lands harder.

  • You are writing about a surprising change

    Where people expect a line to go and where it really went is often the story.

  • You are building a quiz or training piece

    Onboarding material and classroom exercises benefit from asking before telling.

  • You have a time series with a clear shape

    A single dramatic rise or fall makes the guess, and the reveal, more satisfying.

When not to use a Draw the Line Chart

  • You need a plain line chart

    The drawing controls are there for the game. If readers have no reason to guess, use a line chart.

  • The trend is flat or obvious

    Nothing to guess means no payoff. Pick data with a story.

  • You need a static image

    A PNG captures whichever stage the chart is in when you export, not the full interaction.

  • You need two very different scales

    All lines share one vertical axis, so a line far smaller than another is squashed.

How to make a Draw the Line Chart

From a spreadsheet to a published chart, step by step.

  1. 01Open the Draw the Line template
  2. 02Add your data
  3. 03Choose what gets guessed
  4. 04Set where the drawing starts
  5. 05Write the messages
  6. 06Publish and embed
Read the full Draw the Line Chart guide

The parts of a Draw the Line Chart

Visible line
The part of each line shown before the reader starts drawing.
Drawing area
The hidden stretch where the reader draws their guess.
Fixed lines
Optional context lines drawn in full the whole time.
Prompt
A short instruction telling the reader which line to draw.
Submit button
Locks in the guess and starts the reveal.
Score message
Feedback based on how far the guess was from the real line.

Common Draw the Line Chart mistakes

Showing too much of the line

If the visible part gives the answer away, the guess is trivial. Reveal less.

Leaving too little to draw

With almost nothing hidden the game cannot be played, and the chart falls back to a plain line chart.

Mixing wildly different scales

A line near 100 beside one near 10 crushes the smaller one. Set a custom axis range or split them.

Using the sample messages

The default feedback text is generic. Write messages that fit your topic.

Draw the Line Chart: common questions

A line chart that hides the end of the line and asks readers to draw it before revealing the real data.

Make your Draw the Line Chart now

Free to start with 300+ templates. No credit card required.

Create a Draw the Line Chart (free)All chart types