PUZZLE & BRAIN
Think-first games — minesweeping, match-3 chains, word doodling and chess, all free in the browser.
HISTORY
Puzzle & Brain collects the quieter half of the catalogue: the games you play sitting still, where the challenge is reasoning rather than reflexes.
It started with Minefield, a field-survey take on minesweeper built around pure deduction, and expanded as we added a match-3 chain game, a draw-and-guess word game and a full chess implementation.
The brand is deliberately calm. No timers you cannot pause, no punishing failure states, and nothing that pressures you into a faster decision than you want to make.
GAMES IN THIS BRAND
Minefield
Minesweeper as a field survey: fair logic boards, a 12-sector campaign, a daily chart and a duel against the CPU or a friend.
Green Hollow
A garden match-3: swap crops, grow special pieces and save Greenhollow Allotments across 60 story levels.
Word Doodle
Draw a secret word while others race to guess it — against bots, in Pass & Play on one device, or in the solo Doodle Dash.
Chess
Classic chess plus Chess960, King of the Hill and Three-check — against an 8-level computer, a friend or online.
Frostfling
Fling living snowballs from a slingshot to topple Emberling forts and put out every last spark.
Scatter & Snap
A calm jigsaw game: pick a picture or your own photo, scatter the pieces and snap them back together.
Mancala
The classic count-and-capture board game: three rule sets, five computer opponents, a story Journey, 32 puzzles and a new Daily Harvest every day.
Super7
Sevens from around the world: build the four suit rows from the sevens outward and empty your hand first, in eight rule sets including Sjuan and Ristiseiska.
ON THE HORIZON
- Daily puzzle mode — in design
- Logic grid game — concept
OUR ANALYSIS
What works
Deduction comes first: every move can be reasoned out from what is on the board, and a game can be paused and thought through without a timer forcing you.
Who it is for
Puzzle regulars, commuters, classrooms, and anyone who wants a mental break without noise or pressure.
Where it is going
A shared daily puzzle across the brand, better statistics, and more accessibility options for keyboard and screen-reader play.
HOW WE BUILD IT
Solvable by reasoning, not luck
Every puzzle we ship should be winnable through thinking alone. Where classic formats allow guessing, we tune board generation and difficulty so a careful player is rewarded rather than gambled against.
Difficulty you choose
Board size, mine density, opponent strength and round length are all player-set. A five-minute round and a genuinely hard sitting are both first-class options rather than one being hidden behind progression.
Readable at a glance
High contrast, large hit areas, clear numerals and keyboard support matter more here than visual effects, because these games are read carefully rather than reacted to.
No pressure mechanics
There are no lives, no energy meters and nothing that expires while you are away. You can leave a board mid-thought and come back to it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Are these games really free?
Yes. Every puzzle title is free and complete in the browser, with no paid unlocks and no download.
Can I play chess against another person?
The chess title focuses on browser play against the built-in opponent with adjustable strength; local two-player on the same screen is supported.
Do puzzle games count towards my profile?
Yes. When you are signed in, achievements and play sessions from puzzle titles appear in your account alongside the arcade games.
Are the puzzles randomly generated?
Boards are generated per round, so you get a new layout every time rather than a fixed set of levels to memorise.
GOT A GAME IDEA?
Tell us about a game you wish existed in this brand — we read every idea that reaches us.