How to play Slitherlink Loop Puzzle
Take a little time to learn the rules. Every move gets clearer with practice.
Draw one unbroken loop around numeric clues. Mark impossible edges and follow small deductions into a complete circuit. This guide explains the rules and the decisions that matter while you play.
Play Nineleaf Loops →How to play Slitherlink Loop Puzzle
- 01
Draw lines along the edges between neighboring dots.
- 02
A number specifies how many of its surrounding edges contain a line.
- 03
The finished drawing must be one single closed loop.
- 04
The loop cannot cross itself or branch.
Slitherlink Loop Puzzle: player questions
What does a 0 mean?
None of the four surrounding edges belongs to the loop. Mark all four as excluded.
What does a 3 mean?
Exactly three of that cell’s four surrounding edges are part of the loop.
What about cells without a number?
Their edge count is unrestricted, but the single-loop and non-branching rules still apply.
Can a dot have three connected lines?
No. A dot used by the final loop has exactly two incident lines. An unused dot has none.
Can I draw two separate loops?
No. Even if every number is satisfied, the result must be one connected loop.
Why should I mark edges I cannot use?
Exclusion marks make later deductions clearer and reduce accidental lines.
Is it safe to close a small loop early?
Only if it is the complete final answer. Closing a separate small circuit leaves no way to include other required edges.
Do diagonals count as edges?
No. This edition uses a square grid with horizontal and vertical edges.
How do I mark an excluded edge?
Use the alternate action. Switch back to primary action when drawing lines.
What should a beginner look for?
Start with zeros, crowded corners and numbered cells whose required count can be completed from the remaining unknown edges.
Nineleaf edition by Good Game Daily. Puzzle engine by Simon Tatham and contributors, used under the MIT license. Original project ↗