How to Play
The fortress is a wide layout for a desktop or tablet: a wall two tiles thick around an open courtyard, a small keep in the middle, and a tower three storeys high at each corner, with a single tile on each tower's roof.
Click or tap a free tile, then its match, and the two disappear. A blocked tile shakes when you pick it. On a phone the board opens zoomed in; pinch, drag, or use the fit button to see the whole fortress.
Rules
- Free means uncovered, with an empty space to the left or to the right. You can only pair free tiles.
- Identical tiles match. Flowers match any flower and seasons match any season, even though their pictures differ.
- The deal is built backwards from the full fortress, one pair at a time, so there is always a way to clear it.
- You can undo as far back as you like, ask for a hint, or shuffle the tiles still on the table. The Daily Challenge is the same board for everyone, one try a day, and adds 15 seconds per hint and 30 per shuffle to your time.
Tips & Strategy
The long walls start locked
The top and bottom walls are fourteen tiles long, and both of their ends sit under a corner tower. No tile at their foot comes free until a tower is gone, so plan to take one down early.
Towers come down cap first
Each tower's single roof tile covers the four below it. The four roof tiles are free at the start and make a good first target when their partners are free too.
Use the courtyard side
The inner edge of each side wall faces the empty courtyard, so those tiles are free from the start. They are handy partners while you work on the towers.
Leave the keep for later
The keep's four end tiles are free at once and its roof is too. Since they block nothing outside the keep, save them for when a match elsewhere needs a partner.
FAQ
Can I see the whole fortress on a phone?
Yes: the fit button shows it all, though the tiles get small. It opens zoomed in so they stay easy to read and tap.
How many tiles are free when the game starts?
Forty: the tower roofs, most of the side walls, the walkway ends, and the keep.
Does every fortress deal work out?
Every deal can be won. A wrong choice can still leave you stuck, and undo or a shuffle sets you free again.