Links
How to play Links
Links is a flow puzzle — also known as Numberlink. The grid starts with pairs of numbered dots. Your job is to connect each pair with a path, so that the paths never cross and together they fill every cell.
It plays like untangling wires: easy to pick up, and the satisfying part is fitting all the paths together so nothing is left empty.
The rules
- Each number appears on exactly two dots. Connect the two dots of every number with a single continuous path.
- Paths run between side-adjacent cells — up, down, left or right, never diagonally.
- No two paths may cross or share a cell, and a path can't cross itself.
- The puzzle is solved when every pair is connected and every cell in the grid is covered.
Tactics
1. Start in the corners
A dot in a corner has only two ways out, and often only one that doesn't dead-end. Corners and edges are the most forced cells, so lock them in first.
2. Keep cells reachable
Because every cell must be filled, watch for empty cells about to get boxed in. If a cell would be left with no free neighbour, a path has to pass through it — route accordingly.
3. Don't hug walls too early
A path that runs along an edge can block another pair that needs to reach the same side. If a route feels cramped, back it off and let the tighter pair through first.
4. Count the leftovers
If one region of the grid has more empty cells than the nearby paths can absorb, a connection is going the wrong way. Re-route the closest pair to soak up the slack.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to fill every cell?
Yes. A finished board leaves no empty cells — every square belongs to exactly one path.
Can a path cross itself?
No. Each path is a simple line from one dot to its partner; it never touches itself or any other path.
Is there only one solution?
Not necessarily. Like the classic flow puzzle, a board can sometimes be filled more than one way — any layout that connects every pair and covers the grid counts as solved.
How do I draw on a phone?
Touch a dot and drag to lay its path; drag back over the path to erase. On a keyboard, focus the board and use the arrow keys, with Backspace to step back.