Patches guide
Patches Strategy & Tips
Patches comes down to narrowing every clue to the one rectangle that fits.
Start with the basics
- Start with the most constrained clue.
- Use the shape icon to cut the options.
- Fix squares early.
Advanced strategy
List the options
For a hard clue, list every rectangle that fits its area and shape. Cells that every option shares are certain.
Claim orphan cells
If a cell can only be reached by one clue’s rectangles, that patch must include it.
Work inward from the edges
Patches against the border have fewer ways to grow, so fixing them first shrinks the middle.
Common mistakes
- Placing a large patch before checking the small clues around it.
- Forgetting that every patch holds exactly one clue.
Worked example
In the example below, the patches along the edges have the fewest options, and the 2×2 square fills the space they leave.
322423