Model Difficulty Score Calculator

This calculator builds a 1-10 origami difficulty score out of four independently scored factors, loosely modeled on the complexity classifications used across origami diagram databases. Step count contributes up to 3 points on a stepped scale (a 20-step crane scores near the bottom, a 200-plus-step complex insect scores the max); the number of distinct fold techniques used contributes up to 2.5 points, since a model built entirely from mountain and valley folds is inherently simpler to execute than one mixing in reverse folds, squash folds, and petal folds; maximum layer count at the model's thickest point contributes up to 2.5 points, because more overlapping layers make each fold physically harder to crease cleanly; and using open or closed sink folds — a technique many folders find disproportionately difficult relative to how it looks on a diagram — adds a flat 2-point bonus on top. The four component scores sum to the final difficulty score, which is then bucketed into a five-level skill label from beginner to super-complex.

From that score the calculator also estimates folding time, at 1 to 3 minutes per step depending on how difficult the overall model is rated, and a rough number of practice attempts before achieving a clean result. Treat the score as a relative complexity estimate for planning purposes, not a precise measurement — two models with identical scores can still feel very different in the hands, since technique difficulty depends heavily on paper size and the folder's own experience with the specific fold sequence involved.