Ponder’s eight families ask for quite different kinds of thinking. Some are about counting, some about shapes, and some about drawing a line. Here’s a quick way to find one that suits you.
This page is about the puzzles themselves. How you play them, as a single Library board, in the Daily set or through the Weekly collection, is a separate choice covered in Choose a way to play.
Compare the eight families
Binary
Fill the grid with circles and diamonds so every line is balanced.
- How you play
- Change one cell at a time.
- First place to look
- A pair of matching symbols, or a row or column that’s nearly full.
- Try it if
- You like quick, small deductions and spotting patterns.
Light Up
Light every open cell without any two lights seeing each other.
- How you play
- Place and remove lights, and watch what they cover.
- First place to look
- A numbered wall with few open neighbours, then a dark cell only one light could reach.
- Try it if
- You like seeing one move ripple across the whole board.
Blooms
Place one flower in every row, column and region, with no two flowers touching.
- How you play
- Place flowers, and mark cells you’ve ruled out.
- First place to look
- A region with few cells left. Don’t forget the diagonals.
- Try it if
- You enjoy whittling down the possibilities before you commit.
Rectangles
Split the board into rectangles, with exactly one clue in each.
- How you play
- Choose two opposite corners to draw a rectangle.
- First place to look
- A clue near an edge, or a corner that only one rectangle can reach.
- Try it if
- You think in areas, sizes and shapes.
Paths
Draw one route through every cell, passing the numbers in order.
- How you play
- Extend the line, and back it up as you go.
- First place to look
- The ways out of checkpoint 1, then walls and narrow gaps.
- Try it if
- You like following a single thread and planning ahead.
Ribbons
Join matching pairs with ribbons that fill the whole grid.
- How you play
- Draw from either end; clear and redraw a pair when it’s in the way.
- First place to look
- An endpoint with little room, or an empty corner that needs both its neighbours.
- Try it if
- You like making several routes share the same space.
Bridges
Join islands with bridges to match their numbers and form one network.
- How you play
- Drag between islands or select a pair; repeat to add a second bridge or remove them.
- First place to look
- An island with only one neighbour, then islands that need every connection they can get.
- Try it if
- You enjoy counting and keeping the big picture in view.
Mini Sudoku
Place 1–6 once in every row, column and 3×2 box.
- How you play
- Select a cell and use the number pad or your keyboard.
- First place to look
- A nearly full row, column or box, then a number with only one place to go.
- Try it if
- You like numbers, or you already enjoy Sudoku.
Where to start
If you like small, quick decisions, try Binary or Light Up. If you think in shapes, try Rectangles. For drawing a single line, there’s Paths; for juggling several at once, Ribbons. Blooms suits people who like crossing things off before committing. Bridges combines counting with a network, and Mini Sudoku is the familiar classic in a smaller size. None of this is a ranking of difficulty.
Whichever you pick, start with a Gentle board in the Library. Read the rules on the board, make a few moves you can explain, and take a hint if you need one. You can switch families whenever you like; there’s nothing to unlock.
If it looks familiar, read the rules anyway
Some families may remind you of puzzles you’ve met under other names, but the details matter. Binary uses bars and crosses between neighbours, and its rules don’t require every row to be different. Paths has numbered checkpoints you must pass in order. Rectangles can use area clues, shape clues or both. A trick from another puzzle only works if its rules match the board in front of you.
Learn the rules before you race
To see a whole solve, follow the Binary walkthrough, the Light Up walkthrough or the Mini Sudoku walkthrough. For route puzzles, read how to avoid dead ends. Once a family feels comfortable, try it in the Daily set or the Weekly collection.