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Lizely

Number Chain

Connect every consecutive number from 1 to 9 on a compact keyboard-controlled grid.

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How to use

  1. 1.Start on 1 and inspect which orthogonally adjacent cell contains the next consecutive number.
  2. 2.Use only the arrow keys to follow 1, 2, 3, and onward without revisiting a cell.
  3. 3.Reach 9 for 1,000 points before two invalid moves create a deadlock.

About Number Chain

Number Chain is a compact path puzzle that asks you to connect the digits 1 through 9 in strict consecutive order. The entire board is visible from the start. You begin on 1, use the arrow keys to move one orthogonal cell at a time, and must land on 2, then 3, and continue until the chain reaches 9.

The board is a disclosed Lizely fixture arranged as three rows: 1 2 3, then 6 5 4, then 7 8 9. That arrangement produces one clean snake-shaped route. The exact winning keys are Right, Right, Down, Left, Left, Down, Right, Right. The sequence is stated here so the game remains transparent, reproducible, and useful as a quick keyboard exercise rather than a hidden random challenge.

Each correct step adds 125 points. Eight correct moves connect all nine cells and finish at exactly 1,000 points. The score does not depend on a timer, animation frame rate, browser speed, network latency, or a random seed. A completed run therefore has the same result on every supported device.

A move is correct only when it stays inside the three-by-three board, enters an unvisited cell, and lands on the next required number. Moving off the board, revisiting a prior cell, or choosing any other visible number counts as a mistake. One mistake is recoverable. A second mistake ends the run and freezes the board until Restart, creating a clear and testable deadlock state.

The state machine records the current cell, visited path, next required number, mistake count, score, and terminal flags. Terminal states reject all later moves. Restart returns to cell 1 with zero points, no mistakes, and 2 as the next target. The isolated logic test follows all eight winning directions, checks the resulting 1-through-9 path, proves the 1,000-point finish, triggers the two-strike deadlock, and verifies terminal freezing.

The interface is fully usable without a pointer. Arrow keys are the complete control scheme, and every cell exposes a grid role plus its current position. Visited cells use the site's accent token, the current position has an outline, and unvisited cells retain the normal surface and foreground tokens. No canvas, hardcoded color, image, audio, hardware permission, account, upload, download, or external request is involved.

Use the puzzle as a short attention reset, a beginner keyboard activity, or a simple demonstration of ordered graph traversal. Read the next-number indicator before each move instead of guessing. If you make one mistake, pause and trace the visible sequence from your current cell before continuing.

Because the next required digit is always shown, the challenge tests deliberate movement rather than memory. The compact fixture also makes mistakes easy to audit: the visible cursor, highlighted trail, target number, and counter explain the entire state without hidden rules. This transparency is useful for classroom demonstrations and repeatable browser acceptance tests.

Double-press Escape at any time to open the spreadsheet-style Boss Key screen, then repeat the shortcut to return to the unchanged puzzle. Your best score is stored only in this browser. For another numerical break, try Number Sequence Quiz, Addition Maze, Number Match 10, or Number Balance.

Methodology & sources

A fixed 3 by 3 array stores digits 1 through 9. Each arrow resolves an orthogonal target cell, accepts it only when unvisited and equal to the next required number, awards 125 points per accepted move, completes after eight moves at 1,000, and deadlocks after two invalid moves.

Frequently asked questions

Are diagonal moves allowed?
No. Every move must go one cell up, down, left, or right.
What counts as a wrong move?
Leaving the board, revisiting a cell, or landing on a number other than the next required value counts once.
Is the board randomized?
No. The disclosed three-by-three fixture is fixed so every run and score can be reproduced.
How do I finish with 1,000 points?
Follow Right, Right, Down, Left, Left, Down, Right, Right from the starting 1.

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