Popzy
🔗 Logic Puzzle

Number Chains

Trace one unbroken chain.

Number Chains is a Hidato-style path puzzle: trace a single unbroken chain of consecutive numbers across every cell of the grid, using a handful of pre-placed clues to guide the way.

Get it on

Google Play

Coming soon

App Store

How to play Number Chains

A handful of numbers are already placed on the board, including the start (1) and the end (the highest number).

Tap any empty cell touching the highest number placed so far — including diagonally — to drop the next number there.

Keep going until every cell holds a number and the whole grid forms one continuous chain from 1 to the end.

Example

If 7 was just placed, tap any of the up-to-8 cells touching it to place 8. Placed a number in the wrong spot? Use Undo to back up and try a different cell.

Difficulty

Easy5×5 grid with lots of clue numbers already revealed.
Medium6×6 grid with fewer clues — more of the path is up to you.
Hard7×7 grid with very few clues — plan several moves ahead.

Tips & strategy

  • Work backward from a revealed clue number as well as forward from your last placed cell — the path between two known clues is often tightly constrained.
  • A cell in a corner or edge has fewer touching neighbours, so fill those in early when they're forced.
  • If you get stuck with no legal next cell, don't guess randomly — Undo back a few steps and reconsider.

Number Chains FAQ

Is Number Chains the same as Hidato?+

Number Chains follows the same core rules as the classic puzzle genre known as Hidato: connect consecutive numbers 1 through N through touching cells, including diagonals, to form one unbroken path.

Can the chain move diagonally?+

Yes — you can place the next number in any of up to 8 cells touching the last one (up, down, left, right, and all four diagonals), not just orthogonally.

What do I do if I get stuck?+

Use Undo to remove your last few placements and try a different route — a wrong early choice can box you into a dead end later in the chain. Hint will also place the next correct number for you.

What's the largest grid size?+

Hard difficulty uses a 7×7 grid (49 cells to connect) with only a minimal set of starting clues revealed.

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