Puzzle #8
Riverbend
8 × 6Intermediate7 colorsPublished October 8, 2026
Blue's dots sit at the top and bottom of the board, and its path bends around the top-left corner, down the whole left edge and along the bottom row to join them. Two squeezes settle the top row early. After that, a single choice for Blue on the left edge decides the rest of the board.
New to these puzzles? Read how to play first. Connect each pair of dots with a path, fill every cell, and don't let paths cross. This board has exactly one solution.
Hints
Hint 1: where to look
Start with the top-left corner and the cell just above Red's left dot.
Hint 2: the first idea
The corner cell at row 1, column 1 has only two usable neighbors, so Blue must pass through it and head down the left edge. The cell at row 1, column 3 works the same way for Red, which then runs along the top row.
Hint 3: the key step
When Blue reaches row 4 on the left edge, turning right would cut Brown's left dot off from its partner. Keep Blue on the edge all the way down and along the bottom row.
Techniques used: Forced moves, Edges and corners, Bottlenecks.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Every step below follows from the rules alone, with no guessing. Try the puzzle first and use the walkthrough when you get stuck.
Step 1 of 4
Start in the top corners. Orange's corner dot can only move left. The top-left corner cell has just two usable neighbors, so Blue passes straight through it and runs down the left edge to row 4, while Green's upper dot steps down out of the way. The cell above Red's left dot is a squeeze too, so Red climbs into it and runs right along the top row to its partner.
Step 2 of 4
With the top row full, several dots have only one open side left. Both Orange ends head down. The path from the corner drops to row 3 in column 7, and the dot at row 2, column 5 steps down one. Green's right dot also steps down, and Purple runs two cells down the right edge.
Step 3 of 4
Blue's path at row 4, column 1 could turn right or keep going down. Turning right would cut Brown's left dot off from its partner, so Blue continues down the edge and along the bottom row to its lower dot. Brown's left dot now has one way out, up and to the right, and Green closes its short gap in row 3. Pink then slides two cells right in row 5 while Brown runs along row 4 to column 6.
Step 4 of 4
Everything left is forced. Orange fills row 3, column 6 to join its two halves. Purple's lower dot drops to the bottom row, runs right into the corner and climbs to meet its path on the right edge. Brown steps into row 4, column 7, just above its partner, and Pink's ends are already touching, so they join.