GAMESHUSH GAME GUIDES
Merge Numbers: plan the cascade
You have five columns, six rows and no timer. Drop the next number where equal neighbors can meet, then watch gravity create another opportunity.
What one move does
- Choose a column with space. The next tile falls to its lowest empty position.
- Equal neighbors merge in pairs horizontally or vertically. Diagonal neighbors do not merge.
- The new tile is twice the old value and adds that new value to your score. Gravity settles the tiles, then the game looks for another pair.
When several pairs are available, the game scans bottom-to-top and left-to-right, checking the neighbor to the right before the one above. The lower or left tile stays. This order matters: a group of equal tiles does not all combine at once.
Two worked turns: a diagonal and a cascade
This is a complete starting position with three occupied cells. The next tile is 4. Dots mean empty cells; row 6 is the bottom.
C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 R1 · · · · · R2 · · · · · R3 · · · · · R4 · · · · · R5 · 8 · · · R6 4 2 · · · Next: 4 → column 1
- The two 4s in column 1 merge vertically into an 8 in row 6. Score gained: 8.
- The new 8 is diagonal to the existing 8 at row 5, column 2. They do not merge yet. The bottom row is now 8, 2.
That tempting diagonal is not a cascade. To create a real two-merge cascade, use the position below instead.
C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 R1 · · · · · R2 · · · · · R3 · · · · · R4 · · · · · R5 · · · · · R6 4 8 · · · Next: 4 → column 1
The turn adds 8 + 16 = 24 points and counts as one move. The dropped tile itself earns no points. An isolated drop with no merge adds zero. After every merge, gravity compacts each column; in taller positions, this can bring another equal pair together.
When gravity adds a third merge
Try the second example with one extra tile: place a 16 at row 5, column 2, directly above the 8. The same dropped 4 first makes 8, then 16. When the bottom 8 in column 2 is consumed, the upper 16 falls into that gap. It now touches the new 16 in column 1, producing 32. That single turn earns 8 + 16 + 32 = 56 points. This is why looking above a possible merge matters.
Keep options open
- Read the next tile before choosing. Compare its landing cell in each column, not just the numbers at the top.
- Plan the second match. A 4 beside another 4 becomes an 8. Check where that 8 will remain and whether another 8 will touch it after gravity.
- Avoid tall isolated columns. They reduce your landing choices. A large tile is useful only if you still have room to organize smaller ones.
- Use empty columns thoughtfully. They can hold a tile that does not fit your immediate plan. Filling every spare column without a future match removes that flexibility.
- Check exact values. Abbreviated labels are rounded; matching uses exact numbers. Hover or use the accessible board/read-board control for full values.
Controls and limits
Tap a column or its arrow button. Left/Right chooses a column; Enter or Space drops. Keys 1–5 drop directly. A full column rejects a drop; choose another. The game ends when all five columns are full, unless you have reached the final tile.
Incoming tiles begin at 2–4 and gradually range up to 2–64 as larger tiles appear. Reaching 2048 is a milestone, not the end: play can continue up to 1,099,511,627,776. K, M, B and T labels abbreviate thousands, millions, billions and trillions to three significant digits.
Questions before your next drop
Why did only two of three equal tiles merge?
Pairs resolve one at a time in the scan order above. After a merge the surviving tile has a new value, so it no longer matches an unchanged neighbor. Gravity then runs before another pair is chosen.
Can I pause or save?
There is no timer. Your current board, score, next tile and best score save locally when browser storage is available. Starting again replaces the current board but preserves your best. Clearing site data removes saves; they do not transfer to another browser or Android app.