Gridlock – A Number Puzzle Game

Welcome to Gridlock (https://arcade.d20tek.com/games/gridlock), a challenging number-based puzzle game that combines logic, deduction, and a bit of mathematical intuition. If you enjoy games like Wordle or Sudoku, Gridlock offers a fresh twist that will put your puzzle-solving skills to the test!

What is Gridlock?

Gridlock is a daily puzzle game where players must fill a 3×3 grid with digits (1-9) to match target sums for each row, column, and diagonal. Think of it as a blend between Sudoku and Wordle. You’re working with numbers in a grid, but you get feedback on your guesses to help narrow down the solution.

How to Play

The Goal

Your objective is simple: find the correct digit for each of the 9 cells in the grid. The catch? Each row, column, and diagonal must add up to its specific target sum.

Game Rules

• Grid Size: 3×3 (9 cells total)
• Valid Digits: 1 through 9
• Maximum Guesses: 6 attempts to solve the puzzle
• Digits Can Repeat: Unlike Sudoku, the same digit can appear multiple times in the grid

Controls

Feedback System

After each guess, you’ll receive color-coded feedback for every cell:

Bonus: Cells that turn green (correct) become locked and carry over to your next guess, helping you build toward the solution!

Example Puzzle

Let’s walk through an example to see how Gridlock works.

The Puzzle Board

Here’s what you see when starting a puzzle:

         Col Sums
          12  15  18
        ┌───┬───┬───┐
Row  6  │   │   │   │  ↘ Diag: 15
        ├───┼───┼───┤
Row 15  │   │   │   │
        ├───┼───┼───┤
Row 24  │   │   │   │  ↗ Diag: 15
        └───┴───┴───┘

The target sums tell you:

• Row 1 must sum to 6
• Row 2 must sum to 15
• Row 3 must sum to 24
• Column 1 must sum to 12
• Column 2 must sum to 15
• Column 3 must sum to 18
• Main diagonal (↘) must sum to 15
• Anti-diagonal (↗) must sum to 15

Making Your First Guess

Let’s say you guess:

        ┌───┬───┬───┐
        │ 2 │ 3 │ 1 │  = 6  ✓
        ├───┼───┼───┤
        │ 5 │ 5 │ 5 │  = 15 ✓
        ├───┼───┼───┤
        │ 6 │ 7 │ 8 │  = 21 ✗
        └───┴───┴───┘
          13  15  14
          ✗   ✓   ✗

The feedback might show:

• Some cells turn green (correct position)
• Some cells turn yellow (right digit, wrong spot)
• Some cells turn gray (not in the solution)

The Solution

The actual solution for this puzzle is:

        ┌───┬───┬───┐
        │ 1 │ 2 │ 3 │  = 6
        ├───┼───┼───┤
        │ 4 │ 5 │ 6 │  = 15
        ├───┼───┼───┤
        │ 7 │ 8 │ 9 │  = 24
        └───┴───┴───┘
          12  15  18

All rows, columns, and diagonals match their target sums!

Strategy Tips

1. Start with the sums – Use the target sums to narrow down possibilities. A row that sums to 6 using three digits (1-9) has limited options!
2. Watch for constraints – When multiple sums intersect at a cell, that cell has the fewest valid options.
3. Use the feedback wisely – Yellow feedback tells you a digit exists somewhere else. Try moving it to different positions.
4. Leverage locked cells – Green cells carry forward, so focus your thinking on the remaining unknown cells.
5. Check your math – Before submitting, verify that your guess meets as many sum targets as possible.

Daily Challenge

A new Gridlock puzzle is available every day! Come back daily to test your skills and track your statistics over time. Can you maintain a winning streak?

And you can share your daily results with your friends on social media using the Share Results feature to copy the board, and then directly paste it into your favorite social media app. The game is even more fun when you share it with your friends.