Numbrix
A square grid where some cells hold numbers. You fill in every missing number so that 1, 2, 3 and so on form one chain of neighbouring cells, moving up, down, left or right. Every cell gets a number. Parade has published Numbrix for many years.
Hidato
Like Numbrix, but the chain may also move diagonally, and the grid can have odd shapes. Diagonal moves make it harder to see the route.
Numberlink and Flow
Pairs of equal numbers or colours sit on the grid. You connect each pair with its own line, and the lines may not cross. In most versions every cell must be used. Many separate lines, not one.
Zip-style path puzzles, like Candy Path
One line, not many. Only a few cells are numbered. The line starts at 1, passes the numbers in order and fills every cell, moving up, down, left or right. You do not write numbers in the gaps. You draw.
The same puzzle, written two ways
A solved Zip-style board is a solved Numbrix board in disguise. Number the squares along the line from 1 to the last square and you get a valid Numbrix grid. The difference is what the puzzle gives you: Numbrix shows many numbers and asks you to fill the rest. A path puzzle shows a few checkpoints and asks you to find the whole line.
Which one suits you
- Like pencil and paper: Numbrix or Hidato.
- Like dragging lines on a phone: Flow or a path puzzle.
- Want one a day with friends: a daily path puzzle such as Candy Path's, or LinkedIn's Zip.
The tricks carry over. Corners, dead ends and the chessboard count help in all of them. See how to solve path puzzles.
Candy Path is made by IdeaBridge GmbH. It is not made by, affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn. Zip is a game by LinkedIn; we mention it only to describe the puzzle type.