Zip game › Guide
Zip vs Numberlink: Path Rules & Key Differences
Zip is a single-line Hamiltonian path puzzle: one continuous path visits every cell on the board and passes numbered clues in ascending order (1 → 2 → 3…). Numberlink connects separate pairs of matching numbers (1 to 1, 2 to 2) with multiple non-crossing paths.
Players often group Zip, Numberlink and Flow-style games together because all of them involve drawing non-crossing orthogonal lines through numbered squares. However, their underlying rules—especially whether the board must be completely filled—change the solving deductions completely.
Zip, Numberlink and Flow compared
| Feature | Zip (Solvedle) | Classic Numberlink | Flow-style grid fill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of paths | Exactly 1 continuous path | Multiple separate paths (one per pair) | Multiple separate paths (one per pair) |
| Meaning of numbers | Sequential waypoints: 1 → 2 → 3 → … → N | Matching endpoints: connect 1 to 1, 2 to 2 | Matching endpoints: connect colour/number pairs |
| Must every cell be visited? | Yes (strict Hamiltonian path) | Not required by classic rules (though common) | Yes, filling 100% of cells is required |
| Diagonal steps | Forbidden (orthogonal only) | Forbidden (orthogonal only) | Forbidden (orthogonal only) |
| Corner cell deduction | Every unnumbered corner must be entered and exited | A corner can stay empty if not needed | Every unnumbered corner must be used by some pair |
One ordered path on a real 6×6 Zip board
In Zip, each number is a checkpoint along a single journey rather than the end of its own wire. Once the path reaches 2, it immediately continues from that same square toward 3 until every square is covered.
Play this 6×6 Zip board →Read the Zip strategy guide →
Why Numberlink habits can mislead you in Zip
- Do not leave corners empty: In classic Nikoli Numberlink, an unused corner is legal if all number pairs connect without it. In Zip, leaving any cell unvisited is illegal, so every unnumbered corner forces two path segments immediately.
- Adjacent numbers do not always link directly: In Numberlink, two identical numbers next to each other almost always connect in one step. In Zip, consecutive numbers like
3and4sitting side by side often require a multi-cell detour to sweep an adjacent edge or corner pocket before stepping onto4. - Look ahead to the next waypoint: Because your path continues after hitting clue k, you must enter k from a direction that still leaves an unblocked exit toward k+1.
Which path or grid puzzle should you try next?
If you enjoy planning a single continuous route through tight corridors, play Solvedle's unlimited Zip puzzles (6×6 to 8×8, easy to hard). If you prefer deductive elimination without drawing lines, try Tents & Trees, Queens, or today's daily logic trio.
Publisher and mathematical references
Compare Nikoli's official Numberlink rules (pairing identical numbers on a grid) with the mathematical definition of a Hamiltonian path on Wolfram MathWorld (visiting every vertex of a graph exactly once). Solvedle generates its own wall-free ordered-waypoint Hamiltonian path puzzles and is not affiliated with LinkedIn or Nikoli.