Understanding current limiting resistors

redfuse:
I understand what you're saying, but then I don't really get how a 7-segment LED could work.

I have an alarm clock circuit:

I only put one resistor per 7-segments. The brightness of the digits varies depending on how many light up. So 1 is brighter than 8.

I realize the error of my ways now. So it works, but noticeably imperfectly. :slight_smile: