Net Pipe Puzzle
Net Pipe Puzzle starts with a network of pipes that has been scrambled by spinning every tile at random. You put it back together by rotating tiles in place until every square is linked into one tree of pipes. Each board has exactly one solution.
It is calm and logical, with no clock to race. There is nothing to set up, and it works with a mouse, keyboard or touch.
How to play Net Pipe Puzzle
Every tile holds a dead end, a straight, a bend or a T-junction. Tiles never move, they only turn. The dark square near the center is the source, and any tile linked back to it lights up. The status bar tells you how many tiles are currently active.
To finish, every tile must join a single network. No pipe may point into the outer wall, and the network must not contain a closed loop. If you make one, it shows up in red.
Boards range from 5x5 to 13x11. Wrapping versions let pipes pass through the edges to the other side, and Custom can add barriers. Once all tiles are linked, you get a flash across the grid and the word COMPLETED below it.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotate a tile counterclockwise | Arrow keys to pick, then A | Left-click | Tap |
| Rotate a tile clockwise | D | Right-click | Hold |
| Rotate a tile halfway around | F | — | — |
| Lock or unlock a tile | S | Middle-click or Shift + click | — |
| Shift a wrapping board / move the source | Shift + arrows / Ctrl + arrows | — | — |
| New game, undo, redo | N, U, R | Menu bar buttons | Menu bar buttons |
Tips
- Begin along the edges. A pipe can never aim at the outer wall, so border tiles usually have just one or two legal turns.
- On a board without wrapping, a bend in a corner has only one way to sit, and a T-junction cannot be in a corner at all.
- Two dead ends should never point at each other. They would form a tiny closed piece cut off from everything else.
- Lock tiles once you are certain of them. Locked tiles ignore clicks, which keeps big boards from coming undone.
- Leave wrapping boards for later. Without walls to work from, you have to reason from the shapes alone.
If you like Net Pipe Puzzle, try these
Netslide Pipe PuzzleExactly the same network goal, but you shift whole rows and columns of pipe tiles instead of turning them in place.
Train Track LogicConnecting a single working route also drives this rail puzzle, where row and column counts tell you where track goes.
Questions
How do you win Net Pipe Puzzle?
Rotate tiles until every one of them is lit and connected to the source in a single network. There must be no loops and no pipes leading into the wall. The status bar then reads COMPLETED.
What does locking a tile do?
A locked tile cannot be rotated until you unlock it. It is a way of marking pieces you are sure about so a stray click does not undo your work.
What is a wrapping board in Net Pipe Puzzle?
On a wrapping board, pipes that leave one edge come back in on the opposite edge. That removes the wall clues, so these boards are a good deal harder.
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