How to play Connect the Colors
Every level is a square grid with pairs of coloured dots. Your job is to connect the colours: draw a pipe from each dot to its partner. Pipes run between neighbouring squares, never diagonally, and two pipes can never share a square. The twist that makes it a real puzzle: when you are done, every single square of the grid has to be part of a pipe.
- Press on any coloured dot.
- Drag through the squares to the other dot of the same colour, then lift off.
- To change a pipe, press anywhere on it and redraw from that point, or start again from one of its dots.
- Repeat for every colour until all pairs are joined.
- Fill the empty squares by rerouting pipes until the grid is 100% full.
Tips and strategy
- Start at the edges. Dots on the border or in a corner have fewer ways to go. Pipes that hug the wall are often the right ones, so route them first.
- Short pairs first. When two matching dots are close together, there are usually only one or two sensible routes. Lock those in early and the rest of the board gets simpler.
- Look for squares only one colour can reach. If an empty square is boxed in so that only one pipe could possibly pass through it, that pipe must go there.
- Avoid two-wide gaps. A pipe that leaves a corridor two squares wide and dead-ended is usually wrong. Good solutions snake back and forth to use the space.
- Experiment without fear. Crossing another pipe only cuts it while you hold on. Retreat and it comes back, so you can test an idea before you commit.
Why colour-linking puzzles are so satisfying
Pipe-joining puzzles, made popular on phones by apps such as Flow Free, are a modern take on the old "numberlink" puzzles printed in Japanese puzzle magazines. The rules fit in one sentence, yet larger grids demand genuine planning: every pipe you draw changes the space left for all the others. That balance of quick, relaxing moves and the occasional real head-scratcher is what keeps you going "just one more level".
The puzzles also train useful thinking skills. You practise spatial reasoning, spot forced moves, and learn to think a few steps ahead, which is why linking puzzles are popular with children and adults alike.
Levels and grid sizes
There are 45 levels. The first five use a small 5 by 5 grid with four or five colours so you can learn the rules. The board grows to 6 by 6, 7 by 7 and 8 by 8, and the last levels are 9 by 9 and 10 by 10 grids with up to eleven colours. Every level is generated from a fixed seed, so level 20 is the same for every player, and each one is guaranteed to have a full-grid solution. Your stars are saved on your device, so you can stop and come back at any time.
Playing on a phone, tablet or computer
Connect the Colors is built for touch first. Each square is large enough to hit with a thumb even on the 10 by 10 boards, the pipe follows your finger square by square, and fast swipes are filled in automatically so no square is skipped. On a computer, a mouse or trackpad works just as well. Matching dots also show a small white centre once their pipe is complete, and the counter above the board tracks joined pairs and the share of the grid you have filled, so you always know what is missing. There are no timers, so you can think as long as you like.
Looking for more line puzzles? Trace every edge of a figure without lifting your pen inOne Line Draw Puzzle, or bring two balls together with a single line inDraw Puzzle.
Color Connect FAQ
How do you play Connect the Colors?
Press on a coloured dot and drag to the other dot of the same colour. Your pipe can only move up, down, left or right. Join every pair, make sure no pipes cross, and cover every square of the grid to solve the level.
Do I have to fill every square?
Yes. Joining all the pairs is only half of the puzzle. A level is solved when every pair is connected and there are no empty squares left. The percentage at the top of the board shows how much of the grid you have filled.
What happens if I draw through another pipe?
The pipe you cross is cut back to the point where you crossed it. If you move your finger back before lifting off, the cut pipe grows back, so you can experiment freely.
Is every level solvable?
Yes. Each level is built from a path that already covers the whole grid, which is then cut into coloured pieces. A solution always exists, and our automated tests check the solution of every level.
How do I get three stars?
Stars count your strokes. Draw each pipe once, without going back to fix it, for three stars. A few corrections still earn two stars, and any solution earns at least one.
Can I play on my phone, and is it free?
Yes to both. The game works with touch on phones and tablets and with a mouse on a computer. It is free, needs no download or account, and saves your stars in your browser.