Bridges

What is Bridges?

Bridges is a calm logic puzzle set on a sea of islands. Each island shows a number, and that many bridges must start from it. Bridges run in straight lines across or down between two islands, there can be one or two between the same pair, and no bridge ever crosses another. Lay them so that every island has its count and all the islands end up joined into a single group.

Every board has exactly one answer, and it can be found by reasoning alone. Boards come in three sizes, 7 by 7, 9 by 9 and 11 by 11, and a new board, the same for everyone, arrives every day.

How to play

Drag from one island to another, tap one and then the other, or tap the water between them.

• Cycling. Each time, the bridges between that pair go from none to one, to two, and back to none.
• Straight lines only. A bridge joins two islands that see each other across or down, with nothing in between, and it can never cross another bridge.
• Counts. An island turns teal when it has exactly its number of bridges and red when it has too many.
• Score. Your score is the time to solve the board, plus 30 seconds for every hint. Every board size has its own leaderboard.

Strategy tips

1. Start with the big numbers in corners. A 4 in a corner can only reach two islands, so it needs two bridges to each of them.
2. Count the neighbours. An island with a high number and few partners has little choice; an 8 always takes two bridges in every direction.
3. Look for ones and twos. Two islands showing 1 can never be joined to each other alone, or they would form a closed group.
4. Keep everything connected. A move that would close off a group of islands from the rest is wrong, even if the counts fit.
5. Mind the crossings. A bridge laid across the board blocks every pair it would cross, which often settles them.

FAQ

Is Bridges free to play?

Yes. Like every game on Play, it runs free in your browser, with no download and no account needed.

Does every board have one answer?

Yes. Every board is checked by a solver, and only boards with exactly one answer are kept.

What does a hint do?

It puts one pair right: first a pair with too many bridges, otherwise one that still needs bridges. Each hint adds 30 seconds to your time.

What is the daily board?

Every day everyone plays the same medium 9 by 9 board, so times compare directly on the leaderboard.

How is my score counted?

Your score is the time from the first look at the board to the last bridge, plus 30 seconds for every hint. Lower is better.