How the maze game scores you
You solve three random mazes in a row: 8 by 6, then 11 by 8, then 14 by 10 cells. You start in the top-left corner and the exit is in the bottom-right. Every maze has exactly one route to the exit, and a new set is drawn every round, so you can't learn the answer.
Your score is out of 1,000. Up to 600 points come from your route: the shortest possible number of steps divided by the steps you took. Every dead end you walk into and back out of costs steps. Up to 400 points come from pace, with full marks at a fifth of a second a step or faster. The clock runs from the moment each maze appears, so time spent looking counts too.
Bumping into a wall doesn't cost a step. It just doesn't move you.
What is a good maze game score?
| Score | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| 900 and up | Near-perfect routes at a quick pace |
| 750–899 | Strong: few dead ends, steady speed |
| 550–749 | Typical on a first few rounds |
| Under 550 | Lots of backtracking, or a slow start on each maze |
These bands are a rough guide, not a ranking. Rankings come from the scores players post here, once enough people have played.
What affects your result
- Looking before you move. A second spent scanning from the exit back towards you often saves ten steps of backtracking.
- Your input. Arrow keys give one clean step per press. Dragging is quicker, but it's easy to slide into a side passage you didn't mean to take.
- Your screen size. The last maze has small cells on a phone. Turning your phone sideways gives you a bigger maze.
How to get better at mazes
- Trace the route from the exit backwards. Dead ends are easier to spot from the goal.
- Don't follow one wall. The wall-following trick always gets you out, but rarely by the shortest route.
- Look ahead at forks. Glance down each branch before you commit to one.
- Keep a steady rhythm. Fast bursts followed by long pauses cost more time than an even pace.