How to play Patches

Fill the entire grid with non-overlapping rectangles. Every cell must belong to exactly one shape.

1. Each rectangle contains exactly one clue.
2. The number on the clue is the size of the rectangle in cells.
3. Rectangles never overlap.
4. Cells without a clue still need covering, by a rectangle that reaches a clue.

• Drag across cells to draw a rectangle.
• Tap a placed rectangle to remove it.
• Undo removes the last rectangle; Reset clears the board.

The square 4 in the top-left corner can only be the 2×2 square in that corner, and the wide 2 in the top-right corner must lie flat along the top row. That leaves three free cells under the 2 on the right edge, exactly what the tall 3 there needs, and the tall 3 beside it takes the three cells below itself. The last four cells form the 2×2 square around the bottom 4.

1. Start with clues that allow only one shape, such as a square 4 or a square 9.
2. Work from corners and edges: rectangles there have fewer ways to sit.
3. Check the sum: the clue numbers always add up to the number of cells on the board.
4. Watch neighboring clues. A rectangle can never swallow a second clue, which often cuts the options for both.
5. When a cell can only be reached by one clue, that clue's rectangle must include it.