New: this game comes with the next update of the app.
Number Pairs guide
How to play Number Pairs
Number Pairs is a calm number puzzle: tap two digits that are equal or add up to 10, and Gnatz eats them. They only have to see each other. Clear the whole field and the level is yours. No timer, no maths beyond 10.
Number Pairs rules
The rules in one minute
The field is full of digits from 1 to 9. You clear it two at a time, and there are only two kinds of pairs:
- Two equal digits. 8 next to 8: tap one, then the other, and Gnatz eats both.
- Or two that make 10. 8 and 2 add up to 10, so they are a pair too.
- Anything else stays. 5 and 4 are neither equal nor 10 together. They shake, and nothing happens.
- Clear the whole field. Pair by pair, until no digit is left. Nothing new ever drops in.
So every digit has its partners: 1 goes with 1 and 9, 2 with 2 and 8, 3 with 3 and 7, 4 with 4 and 6, and a 5 only with another 5. Nothing new ever drops in. Every level in Beasties can be cleared completely, and the solution pages show one way.
Who sees whom
The two digits must see each other
A pair only counts when nothing stands between the two digits. Sideways, up and down or diagonally, as long as the line between them is free.
- Up and down. 7 sits right above 3. They see each other.
- Diagonally. 7 and 3 touch at a corner. That counts too.
- Not through other digits. 2 and 8 would fit, but the 5 between them blocks the view.
Rule 1
Gaps don’t count
Cleared cells are empty, and you can look straight across them. Two digits far apart in a row or a column still see each other once everything between them is gone.
- Across a gap in the row. 9 and 9 are far apart, but only empty cells lie between them.
- Across a gap in the column. Up and down works the same way: 3 sees 7 straight across the empty cells.
Rule 2
From the end of a row to the next
Read the field like a book: the last digit of a row and the first digit of the next row are neighbours too.
- The end of a row … The 2 is the last digit of its row, the 2 the first of the next one.
- … meets the start of the next. In reading order they are neighbours, so they make a pair.
Empty rows
A cleared row disappears
Clear the last digit of a row and the whole row goes. Everything below moves up, so digits that were apart are suddenly next to each other.
- The last two of a row. Only 4 and 4 are left in their row, and they make a pair.
- The row disappears. Everything below moves up one row. New neighbours, new pairs.
This also changes the diagonals: after a row closes up, a digit can have new neighbours above and below it. Watch for them, they are often the pair you need.
Dead ends and stars
No pair left? That’s a dead end
You start every level with three stars. A pair that is allowed is never wrong in itself, but some pairs lead into a field where digits remain and no two of them fit together.
- Every pair is allowed … All of these pairs follow the rules. One of them is a trap.
- … and then nothing fits. Digits are left, but no two of them make a pair. Dead end: one star falls.
- Back to where it still works. The field rewinds by itself to the last position from which it can still be cleared.
- Try another way. This time a different pair. Three dead ends and the level is lost.
A dead end costs one star, then the field rewinds by itself to the last position from which it can still be cleared. Three dead ends and the level is lost; start it again and all three stars are back. A restart is always free.
How to play
Number Pairs in Beasties, step by step
The field fills the screen, two tools sit below it, and Gnatz peeks over the top edge, waiting for every pair you feed him.
- Tap a digit. It turns yellow, and Gnatz takes a look.
- Tap its partner. Equal or 10 together, and they see each other: Gnatz eats both.
- No pair? They shake. That costs nothing. The digit you tapped last is now selected; tap it again to let go.
- Hint, if you must. For 30 stars the hint frames a pair that keeps the field solvable. The level then gives two stars at most.
A hint costs 30 stars and caps the level at two stars. If the field is already lost, the hint first rewinds it to where it still works. Spend your stars on monster parts, level packs or a hint when you are stuck.
Tutorial
Your first field: level 0
Before level 1, a small 4×4 field walks you through every rule, one pair at a time. No stars at stake, just the rules.
- Equal neighbours. The two 4s sit side by side.
- Two that make 10. 3 and 7, one above the other.
- Gaps don’t count. 2 and 8 still see each other. The empty row disappears.
- Diagonal works too. The two 6s touch at a corner.
- From row end to row start. The 5 at the end of a row pairs with the 5 at the start of the next.
- Now clear the rest. From here, every way works. Then level 1 is waiting.
Difficulty levels
Four difficulties, 999 levels each
The fields below are level 1 of each difficulty. They grow from 48 to 80 digits, but what really changes is how many paths run into a dead end.
Chill
6×8 · 48 digits
6×8 fields, many ways to win. About every second random game clears the field.
Normal
7×10 · 70 digits
7×10 fields with more numbers. Think before you clear: random play wins about one game in ten.
Tricky
7×10 · 70 digits
7×10 fields full of dead ends. Plan a few pairs ahead: random play almost never gets through.
Devilish
8×10 · 80 digits
Big 8×10 fields for pros. Almost every path is a trap, and the decisive mistake is often ten pairs back.
Each level is rated by playing it at random many times. On Chill, about every second random game clears the field. On Devilish, almost none do, and the mistake that costs you the level is often ten pairs back. Chill, Normal and Tricky have 150 free levels each. You unlock the rest for free with the stars you win, or all at once with Pro. Every player gets the same fields in the same order, so the solutions on this site match your app, from level 1 to 999 on every difficulty.
Number Pairs strategy
Three habits against dead ends
Most levels are lost long before the last pair. These three habits come from real levels of the app.
Tip 1
Two partners? Choose with care
A digit can often pair with two equal digits. One choice keeps the field open, the other one quietly locks it. Before you tap, check what each pair leaves behind.
- One digit, two partners. This 6 can go with either 4. They look exactly the same.
- The wrong one … … leaves a field where a few pairs later nothing fits.
- … the right one keeps it open. Same digit, other partner, and the field still clears.
Tip 2
Watch the last two of a kind
The partners stay in families: 1 and 9, 2 and 8, 3 and 7, 4 and 6, and the 5s. When a family is down to two digits, those two must meet. Make sure nothing gets stuck between them.
- The last two of a family. 5 and 5 are the only digits left that can pair with each other. They have to meet.
- Clear what stands between. The 4 between them goes first, with its own partner.
- Now they meet. The view is free, and the last two go together.
Tip 3
Clear a row on purpose
Two digits that don’t line up can become neighbours when the row between them disappears. Sometimes the best pair is the one that empties a row.
- Not lined up yet. 7 and 7 would make a pair, but they don’t see each other.
- Empty the row between them. Take the pair that clears the row in between. It disappears, and the rows close up.
- Now they are neighbours. Diagonally, corner to corner: a pair.
Stuck? Don’t take the first pair you see. Look for digits with only one possible partner left and clear those first: the digits with many partners can wait.
Solutions
Stuck on a field?
Every level has its own solution page, free and Pro. Watch the solution pair by pair, play the field yourself with an undo, or see every pair at once.
FAQ
Number Pairs questions, short answers
How do you play Number Pairs?
Tap two digits that are equal or add up to 10 and see each other: next to each other, above each other or diagonally, with only empty cells in between. Gnatz eats them. Clear the whole field to win.
Can I look up the rules during a round?
Yes. Tap the gear at the top left of the round: Settings open, and their Game guide row takes you straight to the rules of this game, what is special in it and how the stars work. You also find the guide behind the ? on the level start and in Settings on the home screen.
Do the last digit of a row and the first of the next row count as neighbours?
Yes. The field reads like a book, so the end of one row leads straight to the start of the next. Empty cells in between don’t matter.
What happens when a row is empty?
It disappears, and everything below it moves up. That brings new digits next to each other, above and below as well as diagonally.
Do new digits come in?
No. The field you start with is all there is. That is why every pair counts: a level is won only when the field is completely empty.
What is a dead end?
Digits are left, but no two of them form a pair. A dead end costs a star, and the field rewinds to the last position from which it can still be cleared, so you can try another way right away.
What happens after three dead ends?
The level is lost. Start it again and all three stars are back. Stars from earlier levels stay yours.
What does a hint cost?
A hint costs 30 stars. It shows a pair that keeps the field solvable, and the level then gives two stars at most.
Can every level be cleared?
Yes. Every level is checked when it is made: the whole field can be cleared, and the solution page of each level shows one way to do it.
Is there a timer?
No. Number Pairs has no clock and no move limit. Take as long as you like, and play offline without ads.