Summary: An Arrow Maze (based on the Dutch Pijlendoolhof) is a number puzzle where every cell holds an arrow, and you place 1 through N so each number’s arrow points somewhere along a straight line to the next one. This guide explains the goal, the one rule that makes it click, and how to play it online.
Overview
An Arrow Maze starts as a square grid where every single cell already has an arrow drawn in it — pointing in one of eight compass directions. A handful of numbers are pre-printed as clues, always including 1 and the highest number, N (the total number of cells). Your job is to fill in every other cell with the numbers in between, so that the whole grid reads as one unbroken chain from 1 to N.
The Goal
Place the numbers 1 through N — one per cell — so that for every number K from 1 up to N−1, the cell holding K+1 lies somewhere along the straight line that K’s arrow points down. The arrow on the cell holding N is decorative; the chain ends there.
In normal English: for each number you have to place the next number in the direction of the arrow. It does not have to be the next cell. So for number 13 with a left arrow, you should place number 14 in one of the cells to the left.
The One Rule That Matters: Arrows Point Down a Line, Not Just Next Door
This is the rule that trips up first-time solvers, so it is worth stating twice: an arrow does not point at the next cell over. It points down an entire straight line — every cell from its own position to the edge of the board — and the next number can be any cell on that line, near or far.
So if the cell holding 12 has an arrow pointing east, the cell holding 13 could be the very next cell to the east — or three cells further along, or all the way at the far edge of the row. All of those are legal; adjacent is just one option among several, not a requirement.
Straight Arrows or All Eight Directions
Every Arrow Maze puzzle uses one of two arrow sets:
- 8 directions (the classic Dutch Pijlendoolhof rule) — arrows can point North, South, East, West, or any of the four diagonals.
- 4 directions (orthogonal only) — arrows are restricted to North, South, East, and West, which makes the lines of sight easier to track and the puzzle gentler.
Both play by the identical rule above; the direction set is just a difficulty dial.
How to Start Solving
- Start from 1 and N. Both are always given, so you always know exactly where the chain begins and ends before you place a single number yourself.
- Cast the whole ray, not just the next cell. From any number you already have, trace its arrow all the way to the edge of the board — the next number has to be one of the empty cells on that full line.
- Work backward too. The number just before a given clue must be a cell whose own arrow, cast forward, reaches that clue’s cell — so check every cell whose line of sight passes through it, not only its immediate neighbours.
- Cross numbers off as you place them. Once a number is fixed, no other cell can hold it — eliminating it everywhere else is often what reveals the next forced move.
- Look for a ray with only one candidate left. When tracing a number’s line of sight leaves exactly one empty cell that could hold the next number, that placement is forced — no guessing required.
- Trust the logic. A well-formed Arrow Maze always has a next forced move somewhere on the board, so if you are stuck, re-check a ray you traced too quickly rather than guessing.
Play It Online
Arrow Maze plays right in the browser, and the interaction is built for the puzzle’s own rule rather than borrowed from a different game. Press a number that is already on the board (a clue or a number you have placed) and the full line its arrow points down highlights, showing every legal cell for the next number. Drag to the cell you want and release to place it. Change your mind? Tap any placed number (not a fixed clue) and it — along with every number placed after it — clears, so you can re-place the chain from that point without an undo button. The general player controls (checking your answer, the timer, working through a leveled set) are covered once in How to Play Puzzles Online.
Outcome
You now know the goal, the one rule that makes an Arrow Maze click (arrows point down a whole line, not just to the next cell), the difference between 4- and 8-direction boards, and where to start solving. Ready to make your own? See How to Create Arrow Maze Puzzles in Puzzle Maker Pro.
FAQ
Can the next number really be several cells away, not just next door?
Yes — that is the defining rule. An arrow points down its whole line of sight to the edge of the board, and the next number can be any cell on that line. Adjacent is allowed, but it is never the only option.
Is there always exactly one solution?
Yes. Every Arrow Maze is checked by a solver that only accepts a board if it can be worked out by pure logic to a single, unique answer — no guessing puzzle ever ships.
Why are 1 and the highest number always given?
They anchor the two ends of the chain. Without them you would not know where the sequence starts or stops, so they are never removed as clues.
What is the difference between the two arrow modes?
8-direction boards (the classic rule) let arrows point in any of eight compass directions, including diagonals. 4-direction boards restrict arrows to North, South, East, and West only, which makes each line of sight easier to track and the puzzle gentler.
Do I need to guess on a hard board?
No. Every Arrow Maze is solvable by logic alone, however few clues are printed — a forced move is always available somewhere, even if it takes patience to find.