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Hashiwokakero
Hashiwokakero, usually shortened to Hashi and sold in English as Bridges or Chopsticks, is a logic puzzle published by Nikoli. The grid is dotted with circled numbers called islands, and your task is to draw bridges between them. The name means "build bridges" in Japanese.
Hashiwokakero Rules
Each numbered circle is an island, and its number states exactly how many bridges must connect to it. Bridges run only horizontally or vertically in straight lines between two islands — never diagonally.
At most two bridges may join any pair of islands, and bridges may not cross each other or pass through an island. The total number of bridges touching an island must equal that island's number.
When every island has its required number of bridges, all islands must form one single connected network — you should be able to travel from any island to any other. That fully connected, non-crossing layout is the unique solution.
Hashiwokakero Strategy & Tips
Start with islands that demand it
An island showing a high number relative to its neighbors is forced. A corner "4" or an edge "6" must use double bridges on all its available sides — fill those in first.
Look for forced single neighbors
If an island can only reach one other island, it must send all its bridges that way (up to the limit of two). These mandatory links anchor the rest of the puzzle.
Keep the network from splitting early
Bridges cannot cross, so a finished link can wall off a region. Avoid completing a sub-cluster prematurely — every island must end up reachable from every other.
Count remaining capacity
Track how many bridges each island still needs and how many its open directions can supply. When need equals capacity exactly, every one of those bridges is forced.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the goal of Hashiwokakero?
Connect all the numbered islands with bridges so each island has exactly its stated number of bridges and the whole set forms one connected network.
How many bridges can connect two islands?
At most two. You can draw one or two bridges between a pair of islands, but never three, and bridges may not cross one another.
Can bridges be diagonal in Hashi?
No. Bridges run only straight up-down or left-right between two islands; diagonal connections are not allowed.
What does Hashiwokakero mean?
It is Japanese for "build bridges." The puzzle is also sold under the English names Bridges, Hashi, and Chopsticks.