What is Hashiwokakero?
Hashiwokakero, also called Hashi or Bridges, is a logic puzzle in which you connect numbered islands with bridges. Each island needs the number of bridges shown, and all islands must belong to one connected network.
You solve Hashi by counting the bridges an island still needs and ruling out connections that would break the rules. A double bridge counts as two bridges at each end.
Hashiwokakero rules
- Connect each island with exactly the number of bridges shown on it.
- Draw bridges horizontally or vertically between islands in the same row or column. Diagonal bridges are not allowed.
- Use no more than two bridges between the same pair of islands.
- Do not cross another bridge or pass through an island to reach one beyond it.
- Connect all the islands into a single network. Matching every number is not enough if separate groups remain.
Drawing and removing bridges
Tap or click the space between two aligned islands to add a bridge. Tap again to make it a double bridge, and a third time to remove it. Use Undo to reverse your last change or Reset to clear your bridges.
An island marked as having too many bridges needs a connection removed. Check both ends before changing a bridge: adding or removing one changes the count for two islands.
The How to play button beside Settings opens the rules and lets you replay the tutorial.
Hashi solving tips
Start with islands that have few options. Each reachable neighbour can take at most two bridges. If an island needs twice as many bridges as it has available neighbours, every connection must be a double.
Next, look for islands that need almost all their available bridges. An island marked 3 with only two possible neighbours needs at least one bridge to each. Add only the bridges you can prove, then check the nearby islands again.
Watch for isolated groups. On a board with other islands, joining two 1s would satisfy both numbers but cut them off from the rest. The same problem occurs if you join two 2s with a double bridge.
If a group has only one possible connection to the rest of the board, that connection must be used. This is worth checking when the number clues alone do not give you a move.
The daily Hashi puzzles
Boardsmith has four daily Hashi puzzles: Easy, Medium, Hard and an optional Expert. New puzzles are scheduled for midnight UTC. Everyone gets the same board for the same date and difficulty.
Easy, Medium and Hard use a 7×7 grid; Expert uses an 8×8 grid. Every published board is checked to have exactly one solution. Easy and Medium focus on bridge counts and forced moves. Hard is designed to require reasoning about how the network stays connected, while Expert is designed for testing possible moves and their consequences.
Any completed Hashi puzzle counts towards your daily streak and Hashi play streak. Complete Easy, Medium and Hard to record a Hashi game day and unlock the optional Expert bonus. Expert puzzles completed is a separate cumulative total.
For accounts, saved progress, timers and the daily streak, read the daily puzzle FAQs. See the games page for everything available to play.
Hashiwokakero FAQ
Is Hashi the same game as Bridges?
Yes. Hashiwokakero, Hashi and Bridges are names for the same island-and-bridge logic puzzle.
Can bridges cross or run diagonally?
No. Hashi bridges run horizontally or vertically. They cannot cross another bridge or pass through an island.
Does a double bridge count as one or two?
A double bridge counts as two bridges for each of the islands it connects. You cannot add a third bridge between the same pair.
Why is my puzzle not solved when all the numbers match?
Check whether the islands form one connected network. If any group is cut off from the others, the puzzle is not solved even when every island has the right number of bridges.
Does every daily Hashi puzzle have one solution?
Yes. Boardsmith checks that each Hashi board has exactly one solution before publishing it. A finished network that satisfies all the rules is the solution.
Do I need to guess?
Easy and Medium are designed around forced moves. Hard adds deductions about keeping islands connected. Expert may require you to try a possible connection, follow its consequences and undo it if it leads to a contradiction.