How to Play Bridges
What is Bridges?
Bridges (also known as Hashiwokakero or Hashi) is a logic puzzle played on a grid of numbered islands. Your goal is to connect all islands with horizontal and vertical bridges so that each island has exactly the number of bridges shown on it.
Rules
- Each island shows a number indicating how many bridges must connect to it.
- Bridges run horizontally or vertically between islands — never diagonally.
- At most two bridges can connect any pair of islands.
- Bridges cannot cross each other.
- All islands must be connected in a single network — you should be able to travel from any island to any other island via bridges.
Controls
- Drag from one island to a neighbouring island to build a bridge between them — a guide line follows your cursor and the target highlights when you can connect.
- Click/tap the space between two islands to cycle bridges: none → single → double → none.
- Right-click (or long-press on mobile) to remove a bridge directly.
- Arrow keys to navigate between islands.
- Tab to cycle through adjacent islands, then Enter to place a bridge.
- Z to undo the last move.
Difficulty Levels
- Easy (9x9) — 12-18 islands. Great for learning the rules.
- Medium (11x11) — 22-30 islands. More connections to reason about.
- Hard (15x15) — 28-36 islands. Complex networks requiring advanced deduction.
Tips
- Start with islands that have only one possible neighbour — they must connect there.
- An island showing its maximum possible bridges (e.g., a “4” with only 2 neighbours) must use double bridges to each.
- Watch the island colours: green means satisfied, default means more bridges needed.
- Remember the connectivity rule — avoid creating isolated groups of islands.
- Use Undo freely to explore possibilities without commitment.