2048
Slide and merge numbered tiles to reach the 2048 tile, with a daily high-score leaderboard.
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About this puzzle
Use the arrow keys (or swipe on touch devices) to slide every tile on the board in one direction. Tiles with the same number merge into one when they collide, doubling its value. A new tile appears after every move. The goal is to reach a 2048 tile, though you can keep playing past that to chase an even higher score. The game ends when the board is full and no more merges are possible.
2048 was created by Gabriele Cirulli in 2014 and became a viral hit almost overnight. Each new tile that appears is usually a 2 and occasionally a 4, and every merge adds the new tile's value to your score. The board is small, just 4×4, so the whole game comes down to managing space: every move you make should keep room to merge tiles without the board filling up.
The most popular strategy is to pick one corner and keep your highest tile there, building a descending chain of tiles along the edge next to it. That way, merges cascade toward the corner instead of scattering big tiles around the board. The 2048 strategy guide explains the corner method in detail, including which moves to avoid.
Frequently asked questions
- What happens after I reach 2048?
- You can keep playing to try for a higher tile, 4096, 8192, and beyond. The board doesn't reset when you hit 2048.
- Is my best score saved?
- Your all-time best is saved in your browser only. If you choose to join the daily leaderboard, your best score of the day is also sent to our server, along with the nickname you pick, so unlike Sudoku and the other daily puzzles, 2048 has no fixed 'today's board', it's just a normal game with a daily high-score table, and you can play as many times as you like.
- Is there an undo button?
- No. Every move is final, which is part of what makes the game a real challenge. Taking a moment before each move to check where the new tile could appear pays off.