Free browser puzzle

How to play the Tango Sun and Moon puzzle

Tango is a deduction game played on a square grid. Fill every empty cell with a sun or a moon, then use the row and column limits together with the small clues between neighboring cells to work out a complete, rule-following board. You can play a daily challenge or start another puzzle at one of four sizes, from 4×4 to 10×10.

Play the game

The three rules

  1. Balance every line

    Every row and every column must finish with equal numbers of suns and moons. A 6×6 line needs three of each; a 10×10 line needs five of each.

  2. Avoid three in a row

    No row or column may contain three identical symbols next to one another. The same rule applies to a pair with one empty cell between its matching symbols.

  3. Follow the pair clues

    An equals sign between neighbors means they match. A cross means they must be different. Clues work horizontally and vertically.

A simple deduction to get started

Imagine a row in a 6×6 puzzle already contains three suns. The balance rule says that is the full sun quota for that row, so each remaining empty cell in it must be a moon. You can then check those new moons against their columns: if a column now has three moons, all its other empty cells must be suns. One deduction can therefore unlock another line without guessing.

A second useful pattern is sun, sun, empty in a row or column. The empty cell must be a moon, because placing a third consecutive sun would break the no-three rule. Look for this pattern in both directions as you solve.

A practical solving routine

  1. Start with the printed cells and the equals and cross clues that already have a known neighbor.
  2. Count the suns and moons in each row and column. When one symbol reaches half the line size, the rest of that line is forced to the other symbol.
  3. Scan for adjacent pairs and sandwich patterns, then follow any forced placements into their crossing columns or rows.
  4. When you get stuck, use pencil notes to compare possibilities or ask for a hint. Hints highlight a cell and explain the deduction rather than only showing a symbol.
  5. Check the completed board against all three rules. The game highlights rule violations and accepts any complete board that satisfies the puzzle rules.

The board also includes undo and redo, a pause control, a move counter, optional rule checking, and keyboard shortcuts. Open How to Play in the game for controls, or use the dashboard to review locally saved solving statistics and achievements.

Daily puzzles and new boards

The Daily button opens a date-based challenge. Its grid size and difficulty can vary, and the same date produces the same challenge for players using that date. Choose New to play again: regular puzzles are generated in your browser, and the generator checks candidate boards for a unique solution before presenting them. Available sizes are 4×4, 6×6, 8×8, and 10×10, with Easy, Medium, and Hard settings.

This is an independently developed game. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn or any other puzzle publisher.

Tango puzzle questions

What do the equals and cross clues mean?

An equals clue connects two neighboring cells that must hold the same symbol. A cross connects two cells that must hold different symbols.

Does the game save my progress?

The current board and your statistics are saved in this browser so you can resume a puzzle. They are not synced to an account or to another device. Clearing this site's browser data removes those saves.

Is there a new puzzle every day?

Yes. The daily board is selected from the calendar date and can be replayed on that date. Use New Puzzle for a separate, generated board whenever you want more practice.

Can I play on a phone or tablet?

Yes. The board and controls adapt to narrow screens, and the game can be installed as a web app on supported browsers.