Speed Solving Tips: From 10 Minutes to 2 Minutes
Want to climb the leaderboard? These speed-solving techniques will dramatically cut your solve times.
Need for Speed
Once you understand the logic of Slitherlink, the next frontier is speed. How do top players solve a 10x10 grid in under 2 minutes? It's not about thinking faster; it's about thinking less.
1. Pattern Recognition over Deduction
Beginners deduce: "If this is a 3, and that is a 0, then..."
Experts recognize: "0-3 pair. Fill."
You need to memorize common configurations (Corner 3, Diagonal 3s, 0-3 adjacency) so you execute them instinctively without logical verification. It becomes muscle memory.
2. The First 5 Seconds
Don't stare blankly. Immediately scan the corners and edges. Fill any forced corner moves (like a Corner 3 or Corner 0). Then scan for 0s. X them out. This initial blitz clears the fog.
Here's the optimal scan order for the opening seconds:
Scan Order (numbered by priority): ①───·───·───·───② ① Corners first │ 3 0 1 │ ② Then edges with 3s/0s ·───·───·───·───· ③ Interior 0s and 3-3 pairs │ ③ ④ Everything else ·───·───·───·───· │ 2 3 ← ③ 2 │ ④───·───·───·───④
3. The "Two-Pass" Method
Pass 1 (The Sweep): Go through the grid quickly, filling only the obvious patterns (0s, 3s, adjacent pairs). Don't stop to think hard.
Pass 2 (The Deep Dive): Now look at the complex areas formed by the lines you just drew. Look for loop closure constraints and harder deductions.
Pass 1 (instant fills): Pass 2 (deep logic):
·═══· · · · ·═══·═══· · ·
║ 3 ×0 × ║ 3 ║ × 0 ×
· · × · × · · ·═══· × · × · × ·
2 1 × 2 1 ×
· · · · · · × · · × · × ·
Just corners + 0s. Now vertex logic and
Takes ~3 seconds. loop flow. Takes longer.
4. Don't Deliberate
If you stare at a spot for more than 5 seconds without a move, stop. Move your eyes to a different part of the grid. Often, solving a different area will send a line over to your stuck spot and solve it for you.
5. Input Efficiency
Use keyboard shortcuts if available, or optimize your mouse clicks. Right-click for X marks. Don't toggle tools if you don't have to. Every click counts.
6. Incremental Training
Practice on 5x5 Easy grids until you can solve them in 10-15 seconds. Then move to 7x7. Don't jump to Hard 20x20s immediately. Build your pattern recognition library on small grids where feedback is instant.