How to play Match Three
The rules
- The 8×8 board is full of tiles. Each colour has its own shape.
- Swap two neighbouring tiles (side by side or one above the other) to line up 3 or more tiles of the same colour in a row or a column.
- The line clears. The tiles above fall down and new tiles fall in from the top. If they line up, they clear too.
- Above the board are the targets: how many tiles of each colour to clear. Every cleared tile counts, also in chains.
- You win when every target is reached. If your moves run out first, the game is lost.
- A swap that makes no line swaps back and uses no move. There is no undo.
How to play here
- Tap a tile, then tap a neighbour to swap them. Tap the selected tile again to let it go.
- Drag a tile toward a neighbour to swap them.
- Keyboard: the arrows move, Enter picks a tile, then an arrow swaps it with its neighbour. Escape cancels.
- The move counter shows how many moves you have used. A hint shows a good swap.
Endless
The Endless tab has no targets: you have 30 moves to score as much as you can. Each cleared tile scores 10 points, a line of 4 or 5 scores a bonus, and tiles that clear in a chain score double, triple and more. The end panel shows your score, your best score on this device and a target score to beat.
Difficulty levels
| Level | Colours | Targets | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 5 | 3 colours × 15 | 18 |
| Medium | 6 | 3 colours × 15 | 22 |
| Hard | 6 | 4 colours × 15 | 20 |
| Expert | 6 | 4 colours × 20 | 22 |
Tips
- Swap near the bottom of the board: more tiles fall, so chains are more likely.
- Work on the colour that is furthest from its target.
- A line of 4 or 5 clears more tiles with one move.
FAQ
- What happens if a swap makes no line?
- The two tiles swap back and the move is not counted. Only a swap that lines up three or more tiles of one colour uses a move.
- Do tiles that clear in a chain count?
- Yes. When new tiles fall in and line up, they clear too, and every cleared tile counts toward its colour's target. Chains also score more.
- What if no swap is left?
- The board is shuffled for you. A shuffle costs no move.
- Is there a new board every day?
- Yes. A new Match Three board is published every day at each of the four levels: easy, medium, hard and expert. Every player gets the same board and the same falling tiles. Earlier boards are in the archive.
- Do I need an account to play?
- No. You play right in your browser, with no sign-up and no cookies. Your progress is saved in your browser.