heyloTHE HEYLOBUDDY PLAYBOOK
Square-ItRules, tips & a good first game.
Turn a grid of dots into a contest over territory. Draw the last side of a box to claim it, while thinking ahead about the chain of boxes your next line might give away.
YOUR CONTROLS
Tap or click the line between neighboring dots. Choose Classic or Roll & Rule before starting, then select the grid size.
Classic rules
Players alternate drawing one horizontal or vertical line. Completing the fourth side of a box earns one point and another turn. One shared line can complete two boxes at once. When a line closes no box, the turn passes. When every line is drawn, the highest score wins; equal scores are a draw.
Grid size is measured in dots
A 3×3 grid of dots contains four boxes, while 5×5 dots contain 16 and 10×10 dots contain 81. Start with a small grid to learn how extra turns work. Larger boards give you more room to build chains, but a single mistake can hand over many boxes.
Roll & Rule
This variant uses a die to determine how many lines you may draw that turn. Completed boxes still score points. If your roll exceeds the number of available lines, the turn passes. Do not assume the Classic extra-turn strategy applies unchanged: the roll and the remaining lines shape your choices.
A useful first tactic
Early in Classic, avoid drawing the third side of a box when safe alternatives exist. Later, look beyond the box directly in front of you. Taking one box may force you to open a chain for your opponent, so count the boxes in that chain before choosing your line.
Computer and online matches
Both rule sets offer computer play. For a friend, create a room and share its code. The host starts first in online matches, and you play first against the computer. Online rooms last 24 hours. The computer match is saved in the current tab; a shared room does not pause when you leave its screen.
A couple of good questions
Can I draw diagonal lines?
No. Only horizontal and vertical connections between adjacent dots are legal.
What if my die roll is too large?
In Roll & Rule, a roll larger than the number of lines remaining passes the turn.
Guide checked against this game version · October 22, 2026