Slitherlink
Puzzle Games · 10 playsSlitherlink
Draw one closed loop around the dots, and let each number say how many of its sides to use.
Quick start
Tap an edge between two dots to cycle it: line, then ✕, then blank. Each number equals the lines around its square, and every dot has either 0 or 2 lines. Finish with one single closed loop; it is accepted the moment it is right. ✓ Check marks numbers that don't match and explains what else is off; ↶ Undo steps back.
Controls: Tap or click
About this game
Slitherlink is a pencil puzzle with a devoted following, and it is easy to see why once your first loop snaps shut. The board is a grid of dots with numbers sitting in some of the squares. Your task is to connect neighbouring dots into a single loop that never branches or crosses itself. Each number shows how many of that square's four sides the loop runs along, while empty squares can take any count. The first boards are 5×5, and they grow every three levels up to 8×8. Faster solves earn more points, and your running score is saved between visits. Free to play in your browser, with no download and no sign-up.
Family tips
Each level is worth 120 points plus 20 per level, minus one point for every three seconds you take, and never less than 30. A tidy, confident solve beats a frantic one, but don't dawdle once you can see the shape of the loop.
Learn a few patterns. A 0 means none of its sides are used, so cross all four straight away. A 3 in a corner of the board must use both of its outside edges. Two 3s side by side always take the edge between them and both of their far sides.
Crosses are as useful as lines. Because every dot needs 0 or 2 lines, a dot that already has two is finished, so cross off its other edges. A dot with one line and only one edge still open must carry on through that edge.
