Block puzzle strategy, one board at a time
Before each move, ask two questions: will the other pieces still fit, and what shape of space will the clear leave behind?
These examples use Gold Clad Silver's 8×8 board. Gold cells are gold tiles, pale gray cells are silver, and dashed cells are empty. Count rows from the top and columns from the left, starting at 1. Each move names the piece's top-left cell.
1. Look at all three pieces before choosing
Place the three-tile gold bar at row 1, column 1. It completes the top row, clearing space for the two remaining pieces.
What happens with the other move?
If you first place the two-tile silver bar at row 1, column 2, only one cell remains in that gap. Neither remaining gold bar fits anywhere, ending the game.
Start with the shape that has the fewest places to fit. A small piece fitting somewhere does not make it the best choice for that space.
2. Keep a complete space for the large square
Place the two-tile gold bar at row 1, column 1 to clear the top row. The nine empty cells in rows 3–5, columns 3–5 stay intact, ready for the 3×3 gold square.
What happens with the other move?
Putting that same bar at row 4, column 3 is legal, but divides the square space in the middle. The large square then has no available position.
The number of empty cells is not the same as usable space. Check whether those cells connect in the shape your pieces actually need.
3. Remember the diagonal corners
The silver center is at row 4, column 4. Place the two-tile gold bar at row 3, column 2. Its right end closes the upper-left diagonal corner, clearing the center and its adjacent border. The bar’s left end lies outside that border and stays, along with the separate gold tile at the top-right.
What happens with the other move?
Putting the two-tile silver bar in that same position connects the silver center to the empty area outside, so it does not form an enclosure. Both shape and color matter when sealing the border.
Check all eight directions before completing an enclosure. Then check that the silver region has no empty cells and does not touch the board edge.
When should you clear a line or build an enclosure?
First check whether all three current pieces can be placed. On a crowded board, a clear that opens a useful area is often easier to continue from. If you have the gold needed to complete a border, consider the space its enclosure will leave. Avoid blocking every available position while waiting for a shape you have not been dealt.
A combo allows two placements without a clear before the third breaks it. Keeping the combo is not the only goal of a move: sometimes making room for your remaining pieces is what keeps the game going.
Review the game rules · Explore different block puzzle mechanics
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