How Scoring Works, and What High Scores Have in Common

The leaderboard can look mysterious until you know how points are counted. The rule is short, and once you know it the way to a higher score is clear.

What earns points

Every value a ripple writes is added to your score. Filling an empty cell with a 3 earns 3. Doubling a neighbouring 3 into a 6 earns 6. Neighbours that do not change earn nothing, and the cell you tap never changes.

How ranking works

Higher score ranks first. Between equal scores, fewer moves ranks first. Your first completed result for a puzzle is the one that counts, so there is no benefit in replaying a puzzle you have already finished.

Merges compound

A merge pays its new value, and the new value can merge again later for double that. A cell filled as a 2 and then merged up to 16 has paid 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 = 30 points, where four plain fills of 2 pay 8. High scores come from growing a few cells rather than filling quickly.

Do not fill the board too early

Once the board is full, the only scoring moves left are merges, and each one must also move you toward a board with no matching neighbours. Leaving a few empty cells for later gives you cheap, safe points and more freedom to fix the last conflicts.

Scores are checked on the server by replaying your taps on the day’s puzzle, so every entry on the leaderboard is a game that was really played.