Rung 1. Where to look
The hint only points to an area: this corner of the room, this part of the board, this item in your inventory. Working out what the detail means is still up to you.
Guides
How to solve puzzles without spoilers: the hint ladder
Getting stuck on a puzzle is annoying, but looking up the answer is worse: the puzzle vanishes and so does the fun. The hint ladder is a way to get help in small doses and stop at exactly the moment you can see the solution for yourself.
The best hint is the one that makes you say "of course!" rather than "oh, so that's how you do it."
How this section works: the advice is written in general terms and fits most puzzles. We don't publish ready-made solutions for specific levels; instead we show how to reach them on your own.
The rungs of the ladder
Five levels of help, from the lightest to the most direct. Climb one rung at a time and pause after each.
Rung 2. What matters
A nudge towards a property you're missing: a colour, a number, a direction, a sound. Often that's already enough for the picture to come together.
Rung 3. Which rule
An explanation of the mechanic without applying it to the level: for example, that mirrors turn a beam or that tiles flip their neighbours. How to use the rule is your call.
Rung 4. The first move
The hint names the opening action, but not the whole chain. From there you carry on yourself and check whether your guess holds up.
Rung 5. The full solution
A last resort for when the puzzle has stopped being fun. After reading the answer, go back to the level and play it again, saying out loud why each step works.
Video Stb articles in English
This is where we'll collect standalone articles written for English-speaking puzzle fans. They are prepared specifically for this version of the site, with our readers' questions in mind.
- A closer look at Call of Duty weapon camouflage challenges: Consumer Decision-Making
How to approach Call of Duty weapon camo challenges step by step: what they ask for, how to plan your grind, options you can weigh and the account risks.
- GTA 6 Preorder Guide and Editions: Player FAQ
GTA 6 preorders, solved step by step: release date, platforms, Standard vs Ultimate editions, the preorder bonus, boxed copies and what to verify first.
- Genshin Impact: Adventure Rank — Seasonal Planning
An FAQ and checklist for Genshin Impact adventure rank: what it is, why it matters for progression, how to plan it around updates and what to verify first.
- Aion 2 gearing: Player Guide and Key Considerations
Aion 2 gearing broken into a puzzle you can solve: what to know about the global launch, how to plan upgrades, what to verify in-game and account safety.
What the editors are working on
- Why daily word and logic puzzles become a habit worth keeping
- Keeping a puzzle journal: notes for long metroidvania runs
- Picking first puzzle games for young kids: a parent's checklist
- Couch co-op puzzles: sharing roles without arguing
Editorial rules
- Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
- Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
- We do not publish advertising for games or shops, rankings, prices, reviews or other people's videos.
How to get out of a dead end
Take a break
Step away from the screen for at least a few minutes. Your brain keeps sorting through options in the background, and the answer often arrives over a cup of tea.
Reset the level
Start the puzzle over if the game lets you. One wrong move early on can quietly make the solution impossible.
Describe the problem out loud
Say what's required and what you've already tried. A gap in your reasoning becomes easier to spot when you have to put it into words.
Check your assumptions
Ask yourself which rules you made up on your own. Maybe that block can be pushed after all, or that platform can be stood on.
Climb one rung
If nothing has helped, take the next hint up the ladder and give yourself time to think again.
If you're solving as a pair or with a child
- Agree in advance who holds the controller and who watches for details on screen.
- Ask questions instead of giving answers: "What changed when you pulled the lever?"
- Let the younger player make mistakes: a mistake shows the rule better than an explanation.
- Point out every small discovery out loud, even if the solution is still a long way off.
- Set a time limit for each puzzle and move on to another if excitement turns into fatigue.
- Use the hint ladder together and decide as a team which rung to climb to.
Read next
- Mechanics
Recurring puzzle mechanics: order of actions, symmetry, cause and effect, and working with time.
- Genres
Puzzle genres, from logic and physics puzzles to escape rooms and metroidvanias, and how to pick the one for you.
- Questions
Short answers on how to approach puzzles, how to play with kids and how this guide can help.
- Glossary
A puzzle fan's dictionary: how puzzles are built, hints and progress, genres and formats.
Sources and references
- Developer guides and in-game help
We describe the general principles of puzzles. Hints, levels and settings work differently in each game and may change after updates, so check the in-game help and the developer for exact details.