How the Cross layout works
The Cross is a single flat layer of 48 tiles arranged in a plus shape — a wide horizontal bar crossed by a tall vertical one. Because nothing is stacked, every tile is open from above; the only thing that can block a match is a neighbour directly to the left or right. That makes it the most laid-back, approachable board on the site.
Just like the classic turtle board, a tile is free when at least one of its left or right sides is open. Match two identical free tiles to clear them, and remove all 48 tiles to win. It is a relaxed, beginner-friendly board with no buried tiles to worry about — see the how-to-play guide for the full rules.
What makes the Cross distinctive
Every other layout asks you to think in three dimensions — what is stacked on what. The Cross strips that away entirely, leaving a pure two-dimensional matching puzzle. With no layers to unbury, success comes down to a single skill: pacing your removals so you never exhaust the available pairs. It is the clearest way to practise the core discipline of the game without any of the spatial complexity, which is why it pairs so well with the equally gentle Easy board.
Cross strategy tips
- Start at the four tips of the cross — those ends always have an open side.
- Peel each arm inward toward the centre rather than from the middle out.
- Because nothing is stacked, focus purely on not running out of matching pairs.
- When two identical tiles are both free, check whether keeping one open helps a future match before clearing both.
- Stuck? Use Hint, Undo, or Shuffle — every Cross board on this site is guaranteed solvable.
Ready for layers? Try the Cube, the Easy board, or the classic Turtle. Browse every shape on the layouts page.