Path Sum puzzle
Path Sum is a number-route puzzle: connect neighbouring cells until their values reach the displayed target. This browser version is made by Young at PuzzleGame.win. Practice creates fresh local boards, separate from the shared daily challenge.
Play today's daily Path Sum boardHow to play
Begin on the orange start tile in a 5×5 grid. Move horizontally or vertically to an adjacent cell, never diagonally, and never visit a cell twice. Include the starting value in your sum. Use at least three cells and finish when the sum matches the target within the displayed tile limit. The target changes with each board; it is not always 35.
Drag across neighbouring cells, or tap them one at a time. Follow the running sum and tile counter rather than trying to fill the grid. Choose Easy, Medium or Hard for a new practice board. Practice results stay in this browser and do not enter the daily leaderboard.
How to solve Path Sum
- Calculate the remainder. Subtract your current sum from the target after each move. A neighbouring value greater than that remainder cannot help: all values are positive, so moving further cannot undo an overshoot.
- Budget your remaining cells. Count how many selections remain under the tile limit. For a large remainder, inspect routes with larger values; for a small one, look for low values before entering a high-number corridor.
- Look beyond the next step. Two cells can have the same value but lead to different neighbourhoods. Check the next one or two reachable cells, particularly at corners and edges where there are fewer exits.
- Avoid trapping the route. A visited cell cannot be used again. Before turning into a pocket, check that you can still reach useful numbers without crossing your existing path. Reconsider the branch if it cuts off the values you need.
Questions
Does every Path Sum board have a unique solution?
Yes. The generator counts valid routes from the given start and publishes a board only when exactly one reaches the target within its tile limit. You do not need to use every cell.
How do the practice difficulties differ?
All boards are 5×5. Easy allows at most 4 cells with values 1–6; Medium at most 6 with values 1–9; Hard at most 8 with values 1–12. The starting cell counts toward the limit. Each board has its own target.
How is the daily score calculated?
The daily score starts at 2,000 and loses 10 points per whole second, with a minimum of 100. The server validates the route and elapsed time before recording a result. Practice does not submit ranked scores.
Can I practise without affecting today's challenge?
Yes. Practice and Daily are separate modes. Generate another local board to explore routes, or follow the daily link for the shared puzzle that changes at 00:00 UTC. Practising does not change that shared board.
Made by Young at PuzzleGame.win · Guide published