How to play
- Goal
- Shade walls so every open cell has one route to the star, and every arrow points along that route.
- How it ends
- The chart finishes when the walls stay apart and all open cells form one correctly guided tree; Undo and Erase allow corrections.
- Record
- Your first unassisted finish keeps your time for that chart; later plays are practice.
- Shade walls that never share an edge. They may touch diagonally. The star and every arrow must remain open.
- All unshaded cells must connect orthogonally into one tree. Branches and leaves are allowed; loops of any size, including a 2×2 square, are forbidden.
- Each arrow gives the first step along its unique route to the star. That route can bend and pass through other arrows; it need not start geometrically toward the star.
- Choose Shade, Open or Erase, then tap cells or paint a stroke and release. Dots are optional open notes; undecided unshaded cells count as open when checking completion.
- Undo and Redo allow corrections. Restart keeps the first clock running. Reload retains the exact unfinished marks and Undo, and that resumed finish stays local. Practice reopens fresh and cannot replace the saved first time.
Controls
| Mouse / touch | Tap cells or paint a stroke; release commits one Undo step |
|---|---|
| Arrows + Enter / Space | Move the cursor and apply the selected brush |
| 1 / 2 / 3 | Choose Shade / Open note / Erase |
| Z / Y | Undo / Redo |
| R / Restart | Confirm clearing marks while keeping the first clock running |
| Escape | Withdraw an unfinished stroke, close a dialog or return to the atlas |
| Controller | D-pad moves; A paints; X cycles tools; shoulders Undo/Redo; B cancels or returns; Start settings; Back rules |
Tips for Gaidoaro
- Keep arrow targets open An arrow always needs the neighbouring cell in its printed direction.
- Watch for loops Four open cells forming a 2×2 square already make a forbidden loop.
- Allow branches A branch is legal as long as every open cell has exactly one route to the star.
Questions about this game
Must the arrows point directly at the star?
No. Each arrow gives only the first step of its route, which may bend.
Can walls touch at a corner?
Yes. They cannot share an edge.
Can the open area branch?
Yes. Branches and leaves are allowed; cycles are forbidden.
Do I need to dot every open cell?
No. Undecided unshaded cells already count as open; dots are optional notes.
Can replay improve my first time?
No. The first saved finish remains unchanged; replay is practice.
All charts are open. Reload retains an unfinished first attempt, Undo and its original clock; resumed finishes stay local. Practice reopens fresh and preserves your first time.
Watch how to play
About Gaidoaro
Shade walls to leave a single branching tree of open cells. Every arrow shows the first step of its unique route to the star.
All 128 original charts are open: four 4×4, sixteen 5×5 and 108 6×6 charts across four shelves. Each has one independently verified answer and can be solved through visible deductions.
Your first finish keeps its time for that chart. An uninterrupted verified first solve can claim the named fastest time; later plays are untimed practice.
