TERRAZZO · Daily hints · Guides
How do I approach a logic puzzle?
Read the rules twice, place only what is forced, and test one idea at a time. Guessing comes last, and it should be small and easy to undo.
- Rules first. Say each rule in your own words before you touch a piece.
- Forced moves next. Look for the spot where only one thing can go.
- One idea at a time. Change one thing, check it, and keep or lift it.
Why start with the rules, not the board?
Most stuck moments come from a rule that was half remembered. A quick reread often shows the move you missed. It costs a few seconds and saves long detours.
Terrazzo has three Laws, and each fits in a sentence. Kinship sets the sizes of same-coloured regions. Solitude keeps ☉ stones apart, even at a corner. The Vein joins the ≈ stones into one path between two notches.
How do I find the forced moves?
A forced move is a place where every other choice breaks a rule. Look at the edges, the corners and the narrow parts first. Those places have the fewest options.
In Terrazzo the two Vein notches are a good example. The path must start and end there, so those stones are certain. Build outward from them and the next stones often become obvious.
What should I do when nothing is forced?
Pick the smallest question you can ask. For example, ask where a size-one region could sit, or which corner could hold a ☉ stone. A small question has a small answer, and the answer may unlock the next step.
If you must try a guess, make it a single stone. Follow it for two or three steps. If a rule breaks, lift it and you have learned something.
How do I check my work as I go?
Check after every few stones, not only at the end. Count regions against the sizes shown on the frame. Trace the Vein with a fingertip. Look at each ☉ stone and its eight neighbours.
Small checks keep a mistake from hiding. A slip found early costs one stone. A slip found late can cost half the board. The method for large regions is in Kinship strategy for big regions.
What if I make a mistake?
Mistakes are part of the puzzle, not a failure of it. Lift the stones nearest the broken rule and leave the rest. Then check the rule again from that spot.
Walking away also works. Many people see the missing move after a break, a walk or a night's sleep. There is no timer in Terrazzo, so the puzzle will wait.
Does it help to use a hint?
A hint is a tool, not a defeat. A small nudge can show where to look without giving the answer. Save the full answer for when you want to see how the picture ends.
Terrazzo posts three hints each day. A nudge arrives at 00:00 UTC, the Laws in plain words at 08:00 UTC, and the answer at 16:00 UTC. The leaderboard counts unaided solves only, so hints are for your own peace of mind.
Where can I practise these habits?
A daily puzzle is a good place to build them, because each one is short and the stakes are low. If you are new to Terrazzo, how to play walks through a first day. The Vein has its own guide in how to solve the Vein Law.
Try it on today's puzzle
Open today's puzzle page and read the day's Laws aloud before you start. Terrazzo is free to play each day on iPhone and iPad from the App Store.