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Slitherlink
Slitherlink, also known as Fences, Loop the Loop, or Takegaki, is a lattice loop puzzle from the Japanese publisher Nikoli. You connect dots on a grid with line segments to trace a single continuous loop. The numbers inside cells tell you how many of that cell's edges the loop uses.
Slitherlink Rules
The board is a grid of dots with numbered clues in some of the cells between them. You draw horizontal and vertical line segments connecting adjacent dots to build the loop.
Each numbered cell must have exactly that many of its four surrounding sides drawn as part of the loop — a 3 needs three sides, a 0 needs none, and blank cells can have any number.
All your segments must join into a single closed loop with no loose ends, no branches, and no crossings. The completed loop never intersects itself, and a valid Slitherlink has exactly one such solution.
Slitherlink Strategy & Tips
Treat 0s and 3s as anchors
A 0 means none of its sides are used, so cross them all off. Adjacent 3s force a shared edge and the outer segments, giving you a strong starting structure to build from.
Track dots' parity
Every dot has either zero or exactly two line segments — the loop passes through or skips each dot. If a dot already has one segment and three dead directions, the last segment is forced.
Watch corner clues
A 1 or 3 tucked in a grid corner is highly constrained because two of its sides border the edge. Corner numbers often resolve to a single layout immediately.
Prevent premature small loops
Since the answer is one loop, never close a tiny loop that excludes other clues. If joining two segments would seal off a partial loop early, that connection must be wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the objective of Slitherlink?
Draw a single continuous loop along the grid lines so that each numbered cell is bordered by exactly that many segments of the loop.
What does a 0 mean in Slitherlink?
A 0 means none of that cell's four sides are part of the loop, so you can immediately rule out all four edges around it.
Can the loop cross itself in Slitherlink?
No. The solution is one closed loop with no crossings, no branches, and no separate loops — every segment is part of the same single circuit.
Do all cells in Slitherlink have numbers?
No. Only some cells carry clues. Blank cells have no restriction on how many of their sides the loop uses.