How do you play Zertyzzle? Slide an entire row or column by one square; as soon as three identical crystals line up, they merge into a stronger one. Climb the tiers up to the Zertyon, which clears its whole row and column, and complete your goals before you run out of moves. Here are the full rules, step by step.
This page is part of the Zertyzzle guide, which brings together everything about the game.
Rule 1: slide a whole row
The board has 7 columns and 8 rows. Put your finger on a row and slide it left or right, or slide a column up or down: the whole line moves by one square. The crystal pushed off one side comes back on the other, like a looping conveyor belt.
One important detail: every slide must create at least one line-up. If your move doesn't line anything up, it's refused. So there's no point "setting up" the board with empty moves: every move you play produces a merge.
Rule 2: three alike merge
Crystals come in five color families: Amber, Jade, Azure, Ruby and Violet. Some levels only use three or four of them, which makes line-ups easier. Each crystal also has a tier:
- Shard, the basic crystal;
- Gem;
- Jewel.
Three crystals of the same family and the same tier, lined up in a row or column, merge into a single crystal of the next tier, on the square you played. Three Azure Shards make an Azure Gem; three Ruby Gems make a Ruby Jewel. A Gem and two Shards of the same color won't merge.
Even better: five crystals at once jump two tiers. Five Shards go straight to a Jewel. Line-ups that cross each other, in an L or T shape, count together: that's one of the secrets covered on the combos and Zertyon page.
Rule 3: climb to the Zertyon
Three identical Jewels make a Zertyon, the most powerful crystal. Tap it and it clears its whole row and its whole column. You don't have to trigger it right away; you can keep it for the moment it will do the most damage.
After every merge: falling crystals and chain reactions
When crystals disappear, the ones above fall down and new crystals drop in from the top. If they form a new line-up, they merge too: that's a chain reaction, and your points multiply (Combo ×2, ×3…). Setting up these chains is the key to big scores.
Goals, moves and stars
Goals
At the top of the screen, the "Goals" panel shows what the level asks for: for example a number of Gems of one color, Jewels of any family, or a Zertyon. In the later nebulae, it can also mean freeing frozen crystals, breaking rocks or opening padlocks, all explained on the Zertyzzle obstacles page.
The move counter
The counter at the top right shows how many moves you have left. Complete every goal before it hits zero and the level is cleared, unlocking the next one. If not, the game shows you what was missing, and you can try again or take five extra moves (see Zertyzzle boosters).
The three stars
Completing the goals earns the first star. The second and third depend on your score: the more merges, combos and big crystals you make, the more you score. Replaying a cleared level to get all three stars is worth it, since stars also earn season points.
What happens when nothing lines up?
If no slide can create a line-up anymore, the game shuffles the board automatically ("No moves left: shuffling!"). You'll never be stuck without a way forward.
The nebula map
The 120 levels are spread across 12 nebulae, from the Azure Nebula to the Rainbow Nebula. Each nebula is a chapter with its own look; some add a twist (Gems already on the board, upside-down gravity, Zertyons at the start) or a new obstacle. The last level of each chapter is a special level: tougher, with double the reward.
This "slide, line up, merge" loop puts Zertyzzle somewhere between merge games and match-3; if you enjoy the genre, see what makes a great merge puzzle game.
Frequently asked questions
Can you slide a row more than one square?
Each move shifts a row or column by exactly one square. To move a line two squares you need two moves, and each one has to create a line-up.
Can crystals of different colors merge?
No, except with the rainbow Wildcard from the final chapters, which completes any line-up. Otherwise you need three crystals of the same family and the same tier.
How long does a game take?
A level takes a few minutes and has a limited number of moves. There's no timer on the map; only the 60-second mode is timed.
Where can I find tips to get better?
Read our tips to beat the hardest levels and ask your questions on the Zertyzzle forum. The Zertyzzle game page gives you the full overview of the game.
