How to Play Patches
The complete guide to the rectangle puzzle game. Learn the rules, understand the shapes, and start solving in under 3 minutes.
▶ Play Now — It's FreeWhat is Patches?
Patches is a free logic puzzle game inspired by LinkedIn Games. You're given a 6×6 grid where every cell contains a clue. Your job is to fill the entire grid by placing colored rectangular patches — each one must match its clue's shape type and exact cell count.
The puzzle is solved when every cell is covered exactly once. No overlaps, no gaps.
It's not just about finding a rectangle of the right size — it also has to be the right shape (square, wide, or tall). That constraint is what makes each puzzle uniquely solvable.
Step-by-Step Rules
Read the clues on the grid
Each cell shows two things: a shape icon (square, wide rectangle, or tall rectangle) and a number. The number tells you exactly how many cells the patch must cover.
Drag to draw a rectangle
Click and drag across the grid to draw a rectangle. The selection border turns orange if the placement is valid, or red if it isn't. Release to confirm.
The rectangle must contain exactly one clue
Your drawn rectangle must contain exactly one clue cell. It must match that clue's shape type and have the same number of cells as the clue number. If any of these don't match, the placement is rejected.
Cover every cell exactly once
Keep placing patches until every cell on the 6×6 grid is covered. No cell can be left empty, and no two patches can overlap. The puzzle is solved when the entire grid is filled.
Remove a patch by tapping it
Made a mistake? Tap any placed patch to remove it and try again. You can also use the Undo button to step back one move at a time without losing your timer progress.
The Three Shape Types
Every clue specifies one of three shapes. The shape type constrains which rectangles are valid — not just any rectangle of the right area will work.
A clue showing Square · 4 can only be a 2×2 patch. A clue showing Wide · 6 could be 6×1, 3×2, or 2×3 — but only the ones where width is strictly greater than height. Working out which one fits is the puzzle.
Shape type examples at a glance
| Clue | Valid shapes | Invalid shapes |
|---|---|---|
| Square · 4 | 2×2 | 1×4 (tall), 4×1 (wide) |
| Wide · 6 | 6×1, 3×2 | 2×3 (tall), 1×6 (tall) |
| Tall · 6 | 1×6, 2×3 | 3×2 (wide), 6×1 (wide) |
| Square · 9 | 3×3 | 9×1, 1×9, 3×3 only option |
In-Game Tools
The toolbar gives you four tools to help you solve puzzles efficiently.
Undo
Removes the last patch placed. Use it freely — it doesn't affect your star rating, only your time.
Hint
Highlights where one patch should go with a pulsing yellow outline. Using a hint caps your star rating at ⭐⭐ max.
Reset
Clears the entire grid and restarts the timer from zero. Use this when you want a fresh start.
Share
Copies your result — stars, time, and emoji grid — ready to paste in a message or post on social media.
Star Ratings ⭐
After solving a puzzle, you earn 1 to 3 stars based on your completion time. Each difficulty level has different time thresholds.
| Difficulty | ⭐⭐⭐ (3 stars) | ⭐⭐ (2 stars) | ⭐ (1 star) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | Under 1:30 | Under 3:00 | Any time |
| Medium | Under 2:30 | Under 5:00 | Any time |
| Hard | Under 4:00 | Under 8:00 | Any time |
| Expert | Under 6:00 | Under 12:00 | Any time |
Using the Hint button caps your maximum rating at ⭐⭐, regardless of how fast you finish. Your personal best time is always saved so you can come back and beat it.
Difficulty Levels
There are 20 puzzles across four difficulty levels. Progress through them in order or jump straight to the challenge you want.
| Level | Puzzles | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | #1 – #4 | Fewer patches per grid, more obvious placements. Perfect for learning the mechanics. |
| Medium | #5 – #9 | More patches, tighter constraints. You'll need to think 2–3 moves ahead. |
| Hard | #10 – #15 | Complex interlocking shapes. Multiple possible interpretations that lead to dead ends. |
| Expert | #16 – #20 | Maximum constraint density. Only one valid solution path — finding it requires careful logic. |
Strategy Tips
Start with the most constrained patches
Patches with fewer valid positions should be placed first. Squares are the most constrained — a "Square · 4" can only be a 2×2, which has very limited positions in the grid. Start with those before tackling wide or tall rectangles with multiple valid dimensions.
Work from the edges inward
Corners and edges of the grid have fewer options than the center. A "Tall · 3" near the left edge can only extend rightward in limited ways. Use boundary constraints to lock in placements early.
Use elimination
When you've placed most patches, the remaining empty cells often force the remaining patches into their only valid positions. If you're stuck, count remaining cells and check how many unplaced clues are left — the math often reveals the answer.
Undo, don't reset
Use Undo instead of Reset whenever possible. It removes only the last patch, preserving everything else — and the timer keeps running from where it was, so you don't lose your progress toward a 3-star time.
The red border is your friend
Don't be afraid to test placements. The real-time red/orange feedback tells you instantly whether a selection is valid without committing to it. Experiment freely before releasing.
In Expert puzzles, try to identify which cells can only be covered by one specific patch. If a corner cell can only be part of one clue's valid rectangle, that placement is forced — and forced placements cascade to reveal the rest of the solution.
Daily Challenge & Streak
Every day a different puzzle is featured as the Daily Challenge. It's highlighted on the home screen with a 📅 badge. Solve it to extend your streak.
- Your streak counter shows how many consecutive days you've completed the daily
- Miss a day and your streak resets to zero — so come back daily!
- The daily puzzle rotates through all 20 puzzles in sequence
- You can play any puzzle at any time, regardless of whether it's the daily
Progress & Saves
All your progress is saved automatically in your browser's local storage — no account required.
- Solved puzzles are marked with a green ✓ badge on the level select screen
- Star ratings are saved per puzzle — always showing your best achievement
- Personal best time is saved for every puzzle and shown while you play
- Day streak is tracked against your calendar — solve the daily every day to grow it
Progress is stored locally in your browser. Clearing your browser data or switching devices will reset your saves. There is no account sync at this time.
Ready to play?
Start with Puzzle #1 and work your way up. The first puzzle takes about 2 minutes.
▶ Start Playing — Free