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Master Any Match-3 Game

Follow these tips to become a puzzle pro.

Good things come in threes, but as any fan of match-3 puzzle games will tell you, even better things come in fours and fives.

Because most match-3 games are cut from the same gem, understanding a few simple strategies can go a long way. Whether you have a sweet tooth for Candy Crush or feel at home in Homescapes, try these universal puzzle pointers the next time you play.

Trying to clear combs and free cameras in Project Makeover? Matching those hearts near the bottom—not the ones up top—is more likely to form combos.

Make it rain

Combos—those satisfying matches of four or more—are crucial in nearly every match-3. Creating one is often a happy accident, but there’s a way to up the odds: Match toward the bottom of the board so pieces above cascade into cool combos. Think ahead!

Eyes on the prize

Racking up combos doesn’t guarantee victory, however: Many match-3 levels have specific objectives. Need to clear a certain number of blue candies? Don’t get distracted by greens—unless they indirectly help the cause.

Combine Homescapes’ bomb and rainbow ball power-ups to fill your board with bombs. Explosions incoming!

Pause your power-ups

Rocking a rocket? Cooked up a color bomb? Sweet! But consider saving it until you really need it or can combine it with another power-up. Homescapes’ paper plane and bomb specials are each useful on their own, for instance, but match them together and you’ve got a flying explosive that’ll obliterate a hard-to-reach spot on the board.

To maximize points in Best Fiends, take a moment to figure out how to link all those blues. (Hint: Start from the bottom middle.)

Slow your roll

Unless you’re playing a time-based match-3 puzzler like Legendary: Game of Heroes, don’t rush it. There’s no penalty for being deliberate, so scrutinize the board carefully. And remember: Many games will nudge you with a suggested move after a short delay, but it may not necessarily be the best move.

Finish strong

Most match-3 games challenge you to beat a level within a certain number of moves. Try to come in well under that target. In games like Disney Frozen Adventures, leftover moves are transformed into specials that scatter across the board, sending your score through the roof!