OneStroke (PuzzleMadness)
Trace every line of the figure in one continuous stroke, obeying arrows and doubling dotted lines.
Every day: A new dated OneStroke puzzle every day at each difficulty (Easy, Medium, Hard and Tough, plus a Mixed page), the same for every player, with scores on monthly and all-time leaderboards and earlier days in the archive. New puzzle: Once a day (the site does not state the time).
OneStroke on PuzzleMadness asks you to draw over every line of a figure of dots and lines without lifting your finger or mouse. Arrowed lines must be drawn in their direction and dotted lines have to be traced twice. A new figure comes out every day from Easy to Tough.
About OneStroke (PuzzleMadness)
A OneStroke puzzle is a drawing made of pink dots joined by straight lines. You start at a dot and travel along the lines from dot to dot, and the aim is to cover every line in a single continuous path. Some lines carry an arrow and can only be travelled in that direction; dotted lines must be travelled twice, and they change colour after the first pass. You may lift off to think, but you have to carry on from the point where you stopped.
It is the old puzzle of drawing a figure without lifting the pen, with arrows and doubled lines added to make the choice of start and route less obvious. If a route runs into a dead end you can retrace your path back as far as you like, or reset the puzzle and start again.
PuzzleMadness is a free puzzle website run by Dewi, a software developer who started out making games for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii and DS and now builds the site as a hobby. It carries dozens of puzzle types, from classic sudoku to newer logic grids, and each one gets its own dated puzzle every day at each difficulty. OneStroke comes in Easy, Medium, Hard and Tough versions plus a Mixed page, and the same day's OneStroke puzzle is shared by everyone who opens it.
The site checks your grid as you go and tells you when it is finished; it does not publish solutions. Each completed puzzle earns a score, and scores feed a monthly and an all-time OneStroke leaderboard, where only your best attempt at a puzzle counts. Older days stay in the archive, so a missed puzzle can still be played later and still counts toward the current month. Playing needs no account; a free registration gives you a username on the leaderboards and a cloud save. The pages carry adverts.
How to play OneStroke (PuzzleMadness)
- Open today's OneStroke page on PuzzleMadness and choose a difficulty from the menu above the grid.
- Press on a dot and draw along a line to the next dot, then keep going from where you stopped.
- Arrowed lines can only be drawn in the arrow's direction; dotted lines have to be drawn over twice.
- Retrace your path to undo moves, and finish when every line has been covered.
- The site tells you when the grid is complete and adds your score; registered players appear on the leaderboards.
Screenshots
Tips
- Count the lines at each dot, counting a dotted line twice: a dot with an odd count is usually where the stroke has to start or end.
- Plan around the arrows first, since they fix the direction of part of your route.
- Do not cross a bridge line that cuts the figure in two until you have finished the side you are on.
- Missed a day? Earlier puzzles are in the archive, and finishing one still counts toward this month's leaderboard.
Questions
Can I lift my finger in OneStroke?
Yes, to think, but you must carry on from the last point you reached. You can also retrace your path to undo moves or reset the puzzle.
When does a new OneStroke puzzle appear?
Once a day: each difficulty gets its own dated puzzle. PuzzleMadness does not state the exact changeover time.
Where can I see the solution?
PuzzleMadness does not publish solutions. The page tells you when your grid is correct and finished, or when you have made a mistake.
Is OneStroke on PuzzleMadness free?
Yes. It is free to play in a browser with adverts on the page, and registering for the leaderboards is free too.
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