How to Play Slitherlink
Objective
Draw a single continuous loop on the grid by connecting dots along the edges of cells. The loop must not cross or branch, and must satisfy all the number clues.
Rules
- 1.Form a single loop: The lines you draw must form exactly one closed loop. The loop cannot cross itself or branch into multiple paths.
- 2.Follow the numbers: Each number in a cell indicates exactly how many of the 4 edges around that cell are part of the loop.
- 3.Empty cells have no constraint: Cells without numbers can have 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 edges as part of the loop.
- 4.No loose ends: Every line segment must connect to exactly two other segments, forming the continuous loop.
Understanding the Numbers
0
No edges are part of the loop
1
Exactly 1 edge is part of the loop
2
Exactly 2 edges are part of the loop
3
Exactly 3 edges are part of the loop
Solving Tips
- 💡Start with 0s and 3s: A 0 means all 4 edges around it are NOT part of the loop. A 3 in a corner means the two outer edges must be part of the loop.
- 💡Adjacent 3s are powerful: When two 3s are adjacent (sharing an edge), specific patterns emerge. The edges parallel to their shared side must be lines.
- 💡Prevent small loops: If drawing a line would close a small loop that doesn't include all cells, that move is invalid.
- 💡Use X marks: Mark edges you know are NOT part of the loop with an X. This helps visualize constraints and avoid mistakes.
- 💡Watch for dead ends: Each point where lines meet must have exactly 0 or 2 lines. One line at a point means it's a dead end (invalid).