Dots and Boxes: Claim Edges, Steal Boxes
Dots and Boxes rewards patience: every edge you draw could hand your opponent a box, so the winning move is often the one you do not make.
What is the Dots and Boxes Game?
Set the grid size, then list the edges you claim, such as H0,0 for a horizontal edge or V0,0 for a vertical edge, separated by commas. A box is completed when all four of its edges are claimed. In the sample, the four edges around the top-left box complete exactly one box.
How to use it
- Set the number of dots per side.
- List claimed edges as H or V plus row and column, separated by spaces.
- Click Play Edges to see how many boxes you completed.
Worked example
On a 3 by 3 dot grid, claiming H0,0, H1,0, V0,0, and V0,1 completes the top-left box, so boxes completed is 1.
How is a box completed?
When all four edges around a square are claimed — top, bottom, left, and right — the box is complete.
Frequently asked questions
What do H and V mean?
H marks a horizontal edge and V marks a vertical edge, each followed by its row and column.
Who wins a full game?
The player who completes the most boxes by the end wins.