How to prepare for the Pathfinder game (2026)
Pathfinder tests planning, spatial reasoning and sliding-block control: connect two endpoints by moving square tiles through a constrained grid.
Practise Pathfinder free →How it works
You see a grid with two endpoints. Your job is to create a continuous path between them by sliding one square tile at a time. Some empty-looking squares are movable blanks that help you rearrange the board; grey obstacle squares are fixed and cannot move.
Prepwise starts with 3x3 boards and scales up through larger grids. Harder levels introduce more distractor blanks and fixed obstacles, while the total game timer stays at five minutes.
Strategies that work
- Identify fixed obstacles first. They define the route you cannot use.
- Work backwards from both endpoints and decide which connector pieces must end near each one.
- Keep one movable blank free as your manoeuvring space; do not trap it in a corner too early.
- Make short local swaps instead of trying to solve the whole board in one mental move.
FAQ
Is every Pathfinder level solvable?
Prepwise generates Pathfinder boards from valid solved paths and then scrambles them using legal moves, so the practice levels are designed to remain solvable.
Are grey squares movable?
No. Grey squares are fixed obstacles. Blue/dark empty-style squares can be movable blanks; grey obstacle tiles are there to block routes.