Daily Cat Escape
Rate itPlace walls on a hex board to trap the cat before it reaches the edge.
on catescape.dev
Daily Cat Escape is a daily hex puzzle inspired by the old browser game Chat Noir. Each turn you wall off one hexagon and the cat steps toward the nearest edge; you win by boxing it in. Everyone gets the same board each day, with special tiles that change how walls and the cat behave.
About Daily Cat Escape
Daily Cat Escape takes the idea of Chat Noir, the classic trap-the-cat browser game, and turns it into a shared daily puzzle. It was shown on Hacker News in September 2026, and each day's board is dated and the same for every player.
The board is a field of hexagons with a cat in the middle and a few walls already placed. On your turn you click an empty hex to turn it into a wall. Then the cat moves one step along the shortest route to any edge. If it reaches the edge it escapes; if every route is blocked, you win. The trick is to build a ring far enough out that you can close it before the cat gets there.
The daily boards add special tiles. A cluster tile walls itself and all six neighbours at once, a domino tile sends walls cascading along an arrow until something stops them, and a catnip tile makes the cat nap and skip a turn if it steps there. Badges go to players whose win matches the day's lowest or highest winning turn count, awarded at midnight UTC, and signing in with Google keeps your streak across devices. A date picker opens past boards to play for fun; they count for no badge, streak or leaderboard.
It suits players who like short strategy puzzles with a clear goal, and anyone who remembers Chat Noir.
The site has no ads, and the daily plays without an account.
How to play Daily Cat Escape
- Open catescape.dev for the day's board.
- Click an empty hex to place a wall.
- Watch the cat take one step toward the nearest edge.
- Keep placing walls to cut off every route, using the special tiles to your advantage.
- Trap the cat completely before it reaches the edge to win.
Screenshots
Tips
- Do not chase the cat: build walls a few hexes ahead on the side it is heading for.
- Save a cluster tile for the moment the cat nears an open side; it closes seven hexes at once.
- Lure the cat onto catnip to win a free turn for finishing a wall.
Questions
When does a new puzzle come out?
Every day at midnight UTC.
Is the board the same for everyone?
Yes. Each dated board is shared by all players.
Do I need an account?
No. Signing in with Google only keeps your streak across devices.
Is it free?
Yes.
Can I play earlier puzzles?
Yes. The date picker opens past days' boards. They are just for fun: no badges, streak or leaderboard place come from them.
Ratings and reviews
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate Daily Cat Escape.
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