Last updated: March 29, 2026
Connect numbered islands with horizontal and vertical bridges until the full network is complete.
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Bridges, also known as Hashiwokakero or Hashi, first appeared in Nikoli in the early 1990s after an earlier form appeared in 1989. The Japanese name means 'build bridges.' Numbered islands need that exact number of bridge connections, and every island must belong to one connected network. Bridges run horizontally or vertically, never cross, and usually allow at most two between the same pair of islands. Start with forced islands, then connect the whole map.
An 8 island with neighbors up, down, left, and right must place two bridges in each direction.
A 2 island with only one visible neighbor must draw two bridges to that neighbor.
Four islands can satisfy their numbers as a closed rectangle, but that would isolate them. Leave a connection route to the rest of the puzzle.
Play Bridges Hashiwokakero online for free. Draw bridge lines, satisfy island counts, and keep the full network connected from the first move to the last.
| Version | Difficulty | Players | Typical Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Bridges | Easy | 1 | 5 to 10 min |
| Standard Bridges | Medium | 1 | 10 to 20 min |
| Large Bridges | Hard | 1 | 20 to 35 min |
No. A bridge cannot cross another bridge or pass through an island.
No. The usual rule allows at most two bridges between the same pair.
Yes. Satisfying each number is not enough; the final bridge network must be connected.
Capacity is the maximum number of bridges an island can still send to visible neighbors. If a 6 island has only three open neighbors, each neighbor must receive two bridges. If a bridge crosses one route and removes a neighbor, the capacity changes immediately. Checking capacity after every placement prevents dead ends and reveals forced double bridges. Also watch for a 1 island: connecting it too early to another 1 can create a closed pair that cannot join the network. A nearly full island can also block paths for its neighbors, so update both ends. Count open directions often. When capacity equals demand, every open direction becomes forced immediately.
Bridges is a network logic puzzle with clean rules and strong deductions. Build forced bridges, avoid crossings, and keep every island tied into one final map.
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