Most combination padlocks have 40 numbers on the dial. They require (3) numbers in the combination.
Mathematically giving us 40 times 40 times 40 for 64,000 possibilities of (3) number combinations.
But experience with most combination locks tell us that a combination series will have EITHER all EVEN or all ODD numbers.
The possible combinations are further reduced by knowing that the possible numbers have to be 4 apart so that leaves only 10 numbers as possibilities'
The first number of a combination will be in the same series of 10 as the last number in the series.
The second number of a combination will be in a series of numbers that fall between all the numbers in the first series. For instance, if the first series is 4,8,12,16, etc then the series for the second number will be 6,10, 14, 18, etc.
There are many videos with solutions that show you a procedure to determine the LAST number for a correct combination to any lock.
Once you have the LAST number there are only a HUNDRED possible combinations to try to find the correct one.
But I Discovered How To find the FIRST number in the correct 3-number combination. But...
You must have the Lock Open. You can open the lock using a shim, or maybe the lock is already open.
Once you have the lock open, you can find the FIRST number in its combination in about 15 seconds.
There are many videos showing you how to do this.