How to play Fence the Animals
The meadow is full of animals that don't get along. Cats want to be with cats, dogs with dogs, and the sheep and pigs would rather keep to themselves too. In Fence the Animals you draw fences along the grid lines to divide the meadow into fields, so that no field holds two different kinds of animal. There is just one catch: your fence is limited.
- Press on a grid point and drag along the lines between the squares to build fence.
- Close off areas against other fences or the outer edge to make separate fields.
- Happy fields (only one kind of animal) light up and their animals start to bounce.
- To remove fence, drag along an existing fence and it is erased.
- Separate every kind before the fence bar runs out to win.
Tips for fencing efficiently
- Use the walls. The outer edge of the meadow is free fence. A field in a corner needs only two sides of new fence, and a field along an edge needs three.
- Cut off the loner first. An animal sitting alone near an edge or corner can often be boxed in with just a few pieces.
- Fields can be empty. You don't have to give each animal a neat rectangle. Empty squares can go to whichever field makes the fence shortest.
- Straight lines are cheap. A single straight fence from edge to edge splits the whole meadow in two. Look for a line that puts all the cats on one side before drawing small pens.
- Count before you draw. On the later levels the budget is tight. Plan the full route, count the grid edges, and only then start drawing.
A logic puzzle with a farmyard twist
Dividing a grid into regions is a classic of pen-and-paper logic puzzles, and the same idea has a serious side: computer scientists call the problem of separating groups with the shortest possible boundary a "minimum cut", and it shows up in image editing, network design and map making. Here it is simply a cosy brain teaser. Early levels have generous fence and just cats and dogs, so you can learn by experimenting. Later levels add sheep and pigs, bigger meadows and a budget with no spare pieces at all.
The puzzle trains spatial planning and efficiency: there are usually many ways to separate the animals, but only a few short ones. It is a calm, friendly game that suits children and adults alike.
Levels in this game
There are 35 levels. Meadows grow from 5 by 5 to 8 by 9 squares. Levels 1 to 8 feature two kinds of animal, then sheep join, and from level 21 pigs join too. Every level is generated from a fixed seed together with a known solution, so it is the same puzzle for every player and is always solvable. Your progress and stars are saved on this device.
Controls and feedback
Fences snap to the grid lines, so you never need a steady hand: drag roughly along a line and each piece between two grid points is placed for you. Fast diagonal swipes are broken into straight pieces automatically. A field that holds only one kind of animal is tinted in that animal's colour and its residents start bouncing happily, while the counter above the meadow tells you how many fields are still mixed and how much fence remains. Because nothing is timed, you can take each level at your own pace, which makes it a great puzzle for younger players too.
More drawing puzzles: join coloured pairs in Connect the Colors, or trace a whole figure in one go in One Line Draw Puzzle.
Fence the Animals FAQ
How do you play Fence the Animals?
Drag along the grid lines between the squares to build fences. Fenced-off areas become separate fields. The level is solved when no field contains two different kinds of animal, for example a cat and a dog. Fields may be empty, and several animals of the same kind may share a field.
How do I remove a fence?
Start dragging along a fence that already exists and that stroke erases instead of building. You can also press restart to clear all fences at once.
What does the bar at the top mean?
It shows how much fence you have left. Each level has a fixed number of fence pieces, one piece per grid edge. On later levels the budget is exactly the length of our own solution, so every piece has to count.
Do I need to fence along the outside edge?
No. The border of the meadow is already a fence. You only draw fences inside the grid, and a fence that runs into the border closes off a field.
How are stars awarded and is every level solvable?
Every level is generated together with a known solution, and the fence budget always allows it, so every level can be solved. Use no more fence than that solution for three stars, up to two extra pieces for two stars.
Does it work on phones and is it free?
Yes. Draw fences with your finger on a phone or tablet, or with a mouse on a computer. The game is free, needs no download, and saves your stars in your browser.