Number Path — Connect Numbers in Sequence
Draw a continuous path through numbers 1 to N in order on a grid.
How to play
- The green cell is the start (number 1); click adjacent cells to extend the path.
- Visit every cell on the 5x5 grid exactly once.
- Fixed numbered clues must be visited in order — they guide your route.
- Click the last cell in your path again (or 'Undo') to remove it.
- The puzzle is solved when all 25 cells are connected.
Some numbers are placed on a 5x5 grid as clues. Draw a continuous path through adjacent cells (no diagonals) visiting every cell and passing through the numbered clues in order from 1 to 25.
How it works
Number Path presents a grid with numbered cells scattered throughout. Your task is to draw a single continuous path that visits each number in ascending order — starting at 1, passing through 2, 3, and so on until the highest number is reached. The path must be connected, stepping only to adjacent cells (horizontally or vertically), and it must visit every numbered cell in sequence without skipping any.
The challenge lies in routing the path through the unnumbered cells between numbered waypoints so that the path can reach the next number without getting blocked. Plan ahead: if two consecutive numbers are far apart, map out a feasible corridor between them before committing to a route.
Work backwards from dead ends: if a numbered cell is in a corner or has limited neighbors, there is only one or two ways the path can enter and exit, which constrains your route significantly. Combining forward planning with backward deduction from constrained cells is the most reliable solving strategy.
Number Path develops spatial planning skills and is a relaxing yet mentally engaging puzzle suitable for all ages.
Worked example
Routing between two far-apart numbers
- Identify the cell containing 3 and the cell containing 4 on the grid.
- Count the cells between them and check whether a straight or L-shaped path can connect them without crossing the path already drawn.
- Trace the most direct open corridor from 3 to 4, noting any obstacles.
- Draw the path segment from 3 to 4 through the chosen corridor.
- Continue from 4 to 5 using the same approach.
A valid path segment connects 3 to 4 without blocking future segments.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Drawing path segments that seal off a numbered cell, making it impossible to visit in sequence.
- Routing the path into a dead end with no way out before reaching the next numbered cell.
- Forgetting to check that the exit direction from one numbered cell leaves an open route to the next.
Key terms
- Waypoint
- A pre-placed numbered cell that the path must visit at the correct position in the sequence.
- Corridor
- A chain of blank cells connecting two numbered waypoints along which the path can be routed.
- Dead end
- A cell with very few open neighbors, which severely constrains how the path can enter or exit it.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I move diagonally?
- No — only up, down, left, and right moves are allowed.
- What are the numbered clues for?
- Fixed numbers must appear on the path in the correct order — they act as waypoints.