Dots and Boxes
Take turns drawing lines. Complete a box to score a point and take another turn!
About Dots and Boxes
A classic pencil-and-paper game. Players take turns connecting adjacent dots with a horizontal or vertical line. When a player completes the fourth side of a box, they score a point and get an extra turn.
Controls
- Click a line between two adjacent dots to draw it (horizontal or vertical lines only)
- Vs AI / 2 Player buttons - switch between playing against the AI or a second local player
- Grid size buttons (4×4, 5×5, 6×6) - choose the board size before starting
- New Game button - reset the board at any time
How to Play
- Players alternate drawing one line per turn between adjacent dots.
- Complete the fourth side of a box to claim it - your initial appears inside and you earn a bonus turn.
- Chain completions to claim multiple boxes in a single turn.
- The player with the most boxes when the grid is full wins the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Each time you draw the fourth (closing) line of a box, you claim it and score 1 point. You also get another turn. The player with the most boxes when the grid is full wins.
Avoid completing 3 sides of a box - the opponent will close it on their turn. Force the opponent into this position (called "sacrificing chains") to gain larger scoring runs.
Yes. In 2-player mode, players take turns clicking edges on the same device. Each player's boxes are shown in different colors.
The default grid is typically 5×5 (25 boxes total). Larger grids create longer, more strategic games.