Four Squares Logic Puzzle Rules and Instructions

Four Squares is a fascinating puzzle type that appeared at the World Puzzle Championship 2009. This innovative puzzle combines four popular logic puzzle genres—Skyscrapers, Battleships, Tents, and Snake—into a single interconnected challenge. Instead of solving each puzzle independently, solvers must determine the missing outside clues that are shared among all four grids. If you enjoy variety logic puzzles and championship-level brain teasers, Four Squares offers a unique and rewarding solving experience.

Rules of the Four Squares Puzzle

The four puzzle types in this part- Skyscrapers, Battleships, Tents, and Snake all rely on clue numbers on the outside of the four puzzle grids. Find the missing clues that are shared between the grids so that all puzzles can be solved, and solve them.

Skyscrapers: Place digits 1–6 into the grid so that each digit appears exactly once in each row and column. The clue numbers indicate how many buildings can be seen from the corresponding direction.

Battleships: Place the given fleet into the grid so that ships do not touch each other, not even diagonally. The clue numbers indicate the number of ship segments in the corresponding direction.

Tents: Locate the tents in the grid. Trees and tents appear in distinct pairs in horizontally or vertically adjacent squares. Tents do not touch each other, even diagonally. The clue numbers indicate the total number of tents in the corresponding direction.

Snake: Find a path of sequentially numbered and edge-connected squares starting from 1, passing through 10 and 24, and ending at 30 (1–12 in the example). The path cannot loop back or touch itself, not even diagonally. The clue numbers indicate the number of times the snake makes a 90-degree turn in the corresponding direction.