Hexloom guide: hex stack puzzle strategy
Hexloom is a calm hex stack sort puzzle. Place layered stacks beside matching colours, let the weave pull them together, and clear six-layer Rosettes. Here is how the weave works and how to plan for chains.
How to play Hexloom
Stacks and sockets
The board is a hexagon of sockets. Each piece is a stack of coloured layers in up to six materials, each with its own glyph. You hold three stacks under PLAY NOW, and the next three wait under UP NEXT. Long-press a stack to see every layer.
Place by a match
Drag a stack to a socket, or switch to Tap in Settings to select and then place. Put it next to a stack whose top colour matches.
The weave
Every stack connected by matching tops hands its whole top run of that colour to one receiving stack, usually the one you just placed. It happens automatically.
Rosettes and chains
Six or more layers of one colour on top clears six as a Rosette. The colour underneath is exposed, and if it matches a neighbour, the weave runs again.
You lose if every socket is full, or if a level's queue runs out before you meet its goals. Each Gallery level sets one or two goals, and you need all of them: a number of Rosettes, a number of layers of one material, or a number of Fragile sockets mended. Every level ships with more stacks than its par needs, so one misplacement never ends a level on its own.
Hex stack strategy tips
- 01Count to six before you place.Add up the matching top layers that would flow into your stack. If they reach six, that placement clears a Rosette. If they reach five, look for a sixth in PLAY NOW or UP NEXT before you commit.
- 02Read the layer underneath.A Rosette exposes the next colour down. Place so that colour sits beside a matching neighbour, and one move becomes a chain. Each Rosette in a single placement scores more than the last: 100, 150, 200, then 300.
- 03Pull from several sides.When three or more separate direct neighbours donate in one placement, you earn a +150 Six-Sided bonus. The centre of a cluster is worth more than its edge.
- 04Protect empty sockets.A full board ends the level, and every socket still empty when you win is worth +25. Don't park a stack with no match just because a socket is free.
- 05Use your tools in the Gallery.Swap exchanges a tray stack with the next one in the queue, as often as you like. Undo goes back up to 32 moves. Smash removes one stack, once per level. Hint shows a placement that makes an immediate match, which isn't always the best one.
Machines: Seals, Fragile beds, Bridges, Rails and Prisms
The fifth wing, Quiet Machines, introduces five pieces that change how the weave flows. The sixth wing, Locked Works, combines them.
| Machine | What it does |
|---|---|
| Seal | A sealed top layer can't donate. It cracks into a normal layer when matching layers flow into it. |
| Fragile bed | You can't place on it until a Rosette clears in a directly adjacent socket, which mends it. |
| Bridge | Two paired sockets count as neighbours for the weave, even though they don't touch. |
| Rail | A stack on a Rail accepts layers only through its lit edges, but gives freely. |
| Prism | A wildcard donor that takes on the receiver's colour. A Prism-topped stack never receives. |
Bridges don't count toward the Six-Sided bonus or toward mending Fragile beds, so mend with a true neighbour.
The Gallery and Flow
The Gallery holds 96 authored levels in eight wings of twelve: First Light, Deep Weave, Full Loom, Cut Cloth, Quiet Machines, Locked Works, Wide Field and Master Weaver. Each level opens when you finish the one before it, and boards grow from 7 sockets to 19 and then 37.
Every level has a par move count that the level solver actually reached. Finish at or under par for PAR; otherwise the result shows how many moves over you were. For most levels par is a proven minimum; for some it's the best found so far, so you can beat it. Par never blocks progress.
Flow is a seeded run on a 19-socket board with endless refills of three stacks. Reach 8 Rosettes to finish, then deal a new board. If none of your three stacks can match anything, Flow recolours one so it can.
The Daily Loom
Everyone plays the same board each day, and a new one arrives at 00:00 UTC. The board comes from a separate Daily pool and is never one of the 96 Gallery levels, so owning the full game is no head start. You get one ranked attempt per day, the same on Free and Pro, with no undo, hints, Smash or Swap.
When you finish, the server replays your moves through the same engine and records the score it calculates. No account is needed. After your ranked run, or when you're offline, you can keep playing the day's board as clearly marked unranked practice. Finishing the Daily builds your streak, and Pro adds a weekly Streak Saver.
Hexloom Free vs Pro
No ads and no energy on either tier. Hints, Undo, Swap and Smash are never sold.
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Tutorial | Included | Included |
| Daily Loom and leaderboard | Included | Included |
| Gallery | Not included | All 96 levels |
| Flow | Not included | Unlimited |
| Weekly Streak Saver | Not included | Included |
To go Pro, choose Unlock Hexloom, the one-time Hexloom Full Game Unlock, or the StackForge Play Pass, monthly or annual. The three-step tutorial, played on Gallery Level 1, is free for everyone.
Hexloom also offers Standard, Protan, Deutan and Tritan colour palettes, high contrast, bold glyphs, Reduce effects, adjustable cascade speed, and full screen-reader play.
FAQ
How many layers clear a Rosette?
Six layers of one colour on top of a stack. If more than six are there, six clear and the rest stay.
Can I tap instead of drag?
Yes. Drag is the default; choose Tap in Settings to select a stack and then a socket.
What happens when the board fills up?
The level ends. Keep sockets open, and use Swap or Undo in the Gallery to get out of a tight spot.
Is the Daily Loom free?
Yes. Everyone gets the same board and one ranked attempt a day, with no account needed.
How many levels does Hexloom have?
96 authored Gallery levels across eight wings, plus the Daily Loom and seeded Flow runs.