How to play
- Goal
- Draw one unbroken orthogonal path from the upper-left 1 to the lower-right final rune, using each number from 1 to N exactly once in any order.
- How it ends
- A chart is won when that path reaches the final rune without revisiting a square; there is no loss.
- Record
- Your first unassisted solve of each chart earns one fastest-time record; replays are practice.
- Start at the upper-left 1. Tap or drag to an edge-neighbor stone to extend the glowing route. Reach the lower-right final rune only after taking exactly one stone of every number from 1 to N. Numbers may come in any order; unused stones do not need marking.
- The worked picture uses a small off-bank chart. The second 1 is refused because the route already contains a 1; a 2 then follows 4 legally. Tapping the earlier lit 4 pulls a wrong turn back to that stone, ready for another route.
- A diagonal jump or repeated number leaves the route unchanged. Undo, Redo and Restart let you revise; Restart keeps the original first-opening clock running. All 160 charts are available from the atlas.
Controls
| Tap / click an adjacent stone | Extend the route, or tap an earlier lit stone to trim it |
|---|---|
| Drag / swipe | Draw through neighboring stones; a cancelled stroke withdraws |
| Arrow keys; Enter / Space | Move the visible cursor; add or trim the selected stone |
| Backspace / Delete | Withdraw the last link |
| Z / Y; Undo / Redo | Reverse or restore one tap or full drag |
| Restart | Clear the route after confirmation without resetting a first-solve clock |
| Escape | Close a dialog or return to the atlas |
| Gamepad | D-pad moves the cursor; A chooses a stone, X trims, shoulders undo and redo, B returns, Start opens Settings |
Tips for Number Chain
- Any order A 2 can follow a 4. Only repeated values, diagonal moves and revisited squares are forbidden.
- Protect the far gate Reaching the lower-right rune too early cannot finish the route; find the missing numbers first.
- Use the ledger The lit seals beside the board show which values your current route already contains.
Questions about this game
Must the route cover every square?
No. It must visit exactly one square of each number, and it can leave other squares untouched.
Can I use the numbers in a different order?
Yes. Only the starting 1 and final rune are fixed endpoints; interior numbers may come in any order.
Can a replay improve my first time?
No. Each chart keeps its first completed time; replay is practice.
All 160 original charts have one exact rules-based path and an independently checked bounded contradiction trace. Private witnesses do not ship. Progress uses morass.number-chain.v1. No ads or analytics run inside the game.
Watch how to play
About Number Chain
A luminous pilgrim’s cord crosses a dusk-lit mountain wayshrine. Choose adjacent numbered seals to wake a single path from the first stone to the far gate.
Every chart uses each number once, but the numbers may come in any order and unused stones stay dark. Four open shelves hold 160 original charts, each with one independently proved route and a bounded deduction trace.
Your first time is kept per chart; an uninterrupted first solve on the game page may claim the named fastest time. Replays are practice.
