⬜ Box Lines
Draw a line, close a box, go again. Far deeper than it looks.
SIZE
STATUS 0YOU 0AI 0W/L/D 0
How to play Box Lines
- The board is a grid of dots. On your turn, draw one line between two neighbouring dots.
- Completing the fourth side of a box claims it and earns you another turn immediately.
- Chains of boxes can be claimed in a single turn, so one move can swing the whole game.
- When every line is drawn, whoever owns more boxes wins.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Click / tap an edge | Draw that line |
| Z | Take back your last move |
| R | Start a new game |
| F | Enter or leave full screen |
| Esc | Leave full screen |
Tips & strategy
- Avoid drawing the third side of any box. That hands the box, and the follow-on turn, straight to your opponent.
- The real game begins when safe moves run out. Whoever is forced to open the first chain usually loses.
- Learn the double-cross: leaving the last two boxes of a chain uncollected forces your opponent to open the next one.
- Count the parity of the remaining safe moves early. It tells you who will be forced to open first.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the pen-and-paper game?
Yes, it is the classic dots-and-boxes game, first described in the nineteenth century, and it hides a surprising amount of theory behind very simple rules.
Why did the computer give me several boxes at once?
That is the double-cross sacrifice. Declining the last two boxes of a chain keeps control and forces you to open the next, and it often wins more boxes than it gives away.
What board sizes are available?
From a quick four by four grid of boxes up to a six by six board where chain control really decides the result.