Slitherlink: An Excellent Pastime to Challenge Your Mind

The basic rules of Minesweeper establish that each number represents the number of mines around it. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to mark the minefield without blowing up, but that concept can be extended to other challenges, and one of them is Slitherlink. Originally published by Japanese company Nikoli, the goal is to form a loop on the map while covering with lines the number of sides each square indicates. Easy to learn, a nightmare to master.

If you're looking for a turn-based strategy game, I can't help but recommend Into the Breach, which I've been playing for years. Beyond seeing robots and giant monsters throwing punches, position and movement are fundamental factors. Now, if you prefer something cheaper, more addictive, frustrating, and that relies heavily on your control over position and movement... there is Slitherlink.

Believe me, I'm not doing you any favors. There are no graphics or turns here, just a bunch of dots and numbers. The idea is to create a loop on the map, while covering the sides of the numbers with the number of lines their values indicate. For example, if you find a 3, the loop line must cover three of its sides, leaving one free. This is much easier to visualize with a finished game:

Slitherlink: Farewell to Productivity in 3... 2... 1...

The image shows a simple game, with a grid of just 4 x 4, but on the Web it's possible to find larger and more complex variants, leaving the square format. Slitherlink is also known as Fences, Takegaki and Ouroboros, while some Spanish media simply called it "Vallas" (translation of Fences).

The game was published by Nikoli in issue 26 of its Puzzle Communication, in June 1989. In its original version, all squares were occupied by a number, and forming a loop was not mandatory. Like playing Snake, but without eating dots.

The online version of Slitherlink works smoothly, although I recommend starting with a 7 x 7 setup, and advancing from there. I've spent more than half an hour on a 10 x 10 game, and honestly I can't find the solution right now.

The advantage of playing online is that it highlights errors: If a number receives more lines than necessary, they will be marked in red. Good luck, and any loss of productivity from now on is your responsibility. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Access the game: Click here