Learn LinkDuel – rules, leagues and pro tips

01 Basics

Three lessons and you’re ready.

The goal, the controls and what a mistake costs. That’s all you need for Bronze.

Lesson 1 · Basics

In every league

Start on 1, finish on the highest number – hit the numbers in order on the way, and visit every cell.

Only horizontal or vertical, never diagonal.
Crossing your own line? The game won’t let you.
Your first puzzle is a Bronze board: 4×4, so 16 cells.

Common mistakeLanding on the highest number before every cell is visited.

Try it →

LinkDuel school · Lesson 1: The goalPlaying loads YouTube (Google). Privacy →Watch on YouTube ↗ (opens a new tab)

Lesson 2 · Basics

In every league

Drag with your finger or mouse. Went wrong? Just drag back.

There is no undo button on your phone: drag back, or tap an earlier cell twice.
To start over, tap RESET twice.

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Lesson 2: drag back, tap twice, RESETPlaying loads YouTube (Google). Privacy →Watch on YouTube ↗ (opens a new tab)

Lesson 3 · Basics

In every league

Mistakes cost points – walls and arrows don’t.

What counts as a mistake? Each one costs 3 points.
What happens	Mistakes
Number out of order	1
Last number too early	1
Each cell taken back	1
Restart	2, then 4, then 6
Bumping into a wall or arrow	Blocked, no mistake

Common mistakeTaking back many cells one by one. More than two cells back? The first restart is often cheaper.

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02 Leagues & mechanics

Every league adds one rule.

The basics stay. Walls join from Bronze, arrows from Gold, portals and a countdown from Platinum.

Bronze4×4Walls
Silver6×6Connected walls
Gold6×6Arrows
Platinum8×8Portals
Master10×10Two portal pairs

Lesson 4 · Bronze

from Bronze

Where there’s a wall, there’s no way through.

Bumping into a wall costs nothing – the move is just blocked.
Silver brings connected walls: same rule, bigger shapes.
Walls always sit between two cells, never inside one.

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Lesson 5 · Gold

from Gold

You can only leave an arrow cell the way it points.

You may enter it from any side.
A move in any other direction is blocked and costs no mistake.

Common mistakeWalking into an arrow cell and only then checking where it points. Read arrows before you enter them.

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Lesson 6 · Platinum

from Platinum

Exit at the marked edge – carry on at the portal with the same letter.

Drag from the cell next to the portal across the marked edge.
The jump costs no mistake.
Master has two portal pairs: A and B.

Common mistakeJumping too early. Finish everything behind you first.

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Lesson 7 · Platinum

Countdown from Platinum

The clock starts when you tap ‘I’m ready’ – until then the board stays hidden.

Platinum (Ladder): a 120-second countdown. Master: 300 seconds.
Bronze to Gold: no countdown – the clock only counts for the speed bonus.
Practice: never a countdown.

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03 Points & promotion

Fast and clean pays off.

How your score is made, and how much XP you need for the next league.

Lesson 8 · Promotion

Points turn into XP – and XP moves you up.

How your score is made

Basefor every solved puzzle
+ Speed bonusthe faster, the more
+ Clean bonus+30 % of base with 0 mistakes
+ Streakfor days in a row
− 3 per mistakededucted
= Scoreturns into XP

XP to move up

Master collects stars A star every 500 XP.

04 Modes

Play your way.

Daily, weekly, in a duel or with no pressure at all.

Lesson 9 · Modes

Four modes, all free.

All modes on the home page →

05 Pro tips

Ten tips for faster runs.

From dead ends to the chessboard trick. One sentence per tip, one look at the board.

Tip 01
No dead ends
If a free cell has only one open neighbour, your path will end there – and it may only end on the highest number.
Tip 02
Numbers are waypoints
Plan in stages: first to 2, then to 3. Every number is a checkpoint.
Tip 03
Arrows first
Read the arrows first: each one fixes a step of your route in advance.
Tip 04
Arrow chains
Arrows pointing in a row form a fixed corridor. Plan which end you enter from.
Tip 05
How to take portals
Don’t tap the portal: drag from the cell next to it out across the marked edge.
Tip 06
Portal planning
A portal splits the board. Finish one side completely before you jump.
Tip 07
Clean beats frantic
One mistake costs 3 points and the 30 % clean bonus. A calm run often wins.
Tip 08
Read the first two seconds
After ‘I’m ready’, scan the board first: corners, arrows, portals, highest number.
Tip 09
Restarting is often cheaper
The first restart costs 2 mistakes. Taking back three cells already costs 3.
Tip 10Pro
Chessboard trick
Every step switches the chessboard colour. On even boards without portals, start and finish therefore sit on different colours.

06 FAQ

Quick answers.

Where do I start?

On 1 – it is always your start. Tap it or drag straight from it. Until you touch it, it glows with a double ring.

Where is undo on my phone?

There is no undo button on phones. Just drag your path back, or tap an earlier cell twice – your path then ends there. Every cell taken back counts as a mistake.

Why can’t I go on?

Usually a wall is in the way, or you’re trying to leave an arrow cell the wrong way. The game blocks those moves without counting a mistake. Try another direction.

I’m on the last number but not done

Then some cells are still empty. A puzzle is only solved when your path has visited every cell and ends on the highest number. Drag back to just before the gap, or restart.

The portal doesn’t respond

Tapping the portal does nothing. Drag from the cell right next to it out across the marked edge. Your path then carries on at the portal with the same letter.

Do I need an account?

Not to get started: you play Bronze and Silver without one. You need a free account for Season, duels, the Ladder from Gold, and Master. Everything stays free.