PUZZLE GAME

Lights Out

Turn every light off. Pressing a cell flips it and its four neighbours.

Moves 0Minimum 0Solved 0

About this game

Lights Out is a grid of lit and unlit squares. Pressing a square flips it and its four neighbours, so a move that fixes one light can turn others on. Your task is to end with every light off. The puzzle looks simple but needs real planning, and the game shows the minimum number of presses for each puzzle so you can measure how efficient your solution is. Play Lights Out free online in your browser — no download or sign-up needed.

Game Information

Category
Puzzle Games
Players
Single player
Difficulty
Grids from 3×3 to 7×7
Game type
Logic, Grid, Planning
Works on
Desktop and mobile browsers
Controls
  • Mouse or touch: click or tap a square
  • Keyboard: H hint, R restart, N new puzzle
Features
  • Five grid sizes
  • Hint that points to a useful square
  • Shows the minimum number of moves
  • Restart the same puzzle or get a new one

How to Play Lights Out

Objective

Turn all lights off using as few presses as you can.

Starting a game

Pick a grid size. The puzzle is created by pressing random squares on a dark board, so a solution always exists.

Rules

  • Pressing a square flips that square and the squares directly above, below, left and right of it.
  • Squares on an edge or corner have fewer neighbours, so they flip fewer lights.
  • Pressing the same square twice cancels out, and the order of presses does not matter.

Controls

  • Mouse or touch: click or tap a square
  • Keyboard: H hint, R restart, N new puzzle

Winning and losing

You win when all lights are off. The counter shows how your number of moves compares with the minimum.

Tips and Strategies

  • Order does not matter, so think of the puzzle as a set of squares to press once each.
  • Work row by row: fix the top row using the row below it, then continue down.
  • A square never needs to be pressed more than once.
  • Use the hint when you are stuck, then try to understand why that square helps.
  • Start with 3×3 or 5×5 to see how presses spread, then try the bigger grids.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there always a solution?

Yes, every puzzle is made from a solvable position.

What does Minimum mean?

It is the smallest number of presses that solves the current puzzle. The game calculates it for you.

Does the hint solve the whole puzzle?

No, it points to one square that belongs to a shortest solution.

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