Enlyzr

Boxed In

Roll the dice, close the boxes

The pencil-and-paper game of dots and boxes, with a twist: the dice decide how many lines you may draw each turn. Capture boxes, and in the larger modes whole 2×2 and 3×3 squares, against the computer, a friend on the same phone, or another player online.

Coming soon to Google PlayHow to playPrivacy policy

For Android 9 and newer.

A Classic game in play: an 8 by 8 board of dots with boxes captured by both players, the scores 6 to 11, and the Roll Dice button.
  • 9
    game modes, from a minute to a long evening
  • 13
    overlap rules for squares of several sizes
  • 4
    computer opponents, from random to planning
  • 36
    achievements to unlock

What is in the game

  • Dots and boxes with dice

    Roll, then draw up to that many edges. You may stop early: a roll is a budget, not a duty. Standard mode plays the classic game without dice, one line a turn.

  • Nine game modes

    From Mini, a game in a minute on 9 boxes, to Marathon with 121. In Chain Reaction boxes fall in rows. Strategic, Big Squares and Expert add 2×2 and 3×3 squares worth 4 and 9 points.

  • 13 overlap rules

    When squares of different sizes cover the same boxes, the rule you pick decides what happens: absorb, take over, protect, build up, hold territory and more. Each one makes a different game.

  • Four computer opponents

    Easy plays at random. Normal takes what it can. Hard plans its whole turn and your best reply. Expert plays out many games before it moves, and knows the double-cross.

  • Play online

    Create a room and pass its six-character code to a friend, or let Find Match pair you with the next player. No account and no chat: just a name you choose and the game.

  • On the same Wi-Fi, without a server

    Two phones on one network play directly with each other over an encrypted connection. The same six-digit code on both screens shows that nobody is in between.

  • Achievements and a leaderboard

    36 achievements, and a leaderboard of your best wins kept on your device. A win counts for more the stronger the opponent was.

  • Made comfortable

    Light or dark, six palettes or the colours of your wallpaper. A game is saved after every move, Undo takes back the edges of your turn, and a move clock is there when you want pressure.

  • Private by design

    No ads, no analytics, no account. Games against the computer and games on one device send nothing over the network.

A look at the game

  • The menu: opponent buttons for vs AI, Local and Online, and the list of game modes with Classic selected.
    Pick an opponent and one of nine games
  • A Classic game in round 10 with green and blue boxes on the board and the Roll Dice button.
    Roll, draw your edges, close the boxes
  • A Big Squares game on a 10 by 10 board with a ten-sided die.
    Bigger boards, bigger dice, bigger squares
  • The game list with Big Squares selected and its overlap rule, Independent, shown with a small picture.
    Larger modes come with a rule of your choice
  • The online menu with Find Match and Play with Friends.
    Find a match or play with friends
  • Play with Friends: tabs for Create Room, Join Room and Same Wi-Fi.
    A room code, or two phones on one Wi-Fi
  • The list of achievements with progress bars, 6 of 36 unlocked.
    36 achievements to work towards
  • The Help and Rules screen, open on the Overlap tab that explains the overlap rules.
    Every rule is explained in the app

Questions and answers

How is this different from ordinary dots and boxes?

In most modes you roll a die and may draw up to that many edges in one turn, and a capture gives no extra move. So it is less about chains and more about how many edges each box still needs. The larger modes also score 2×2 and 3×3 squares. If you want the game as it is played on paper, Standard mode has no dice and gives another line after every capture.

Do I need an internet connection?

No. Games against the computer and games for two on one phone work without any connection. Only online play needs the internet, and two phones on the same Wi-Fi can play each other without it.

Do I need an account to play online?

No. You choose a display name, which the other player sees. There are no accounts, and there is no chat.

What is an overlap rule?

In Strategic, Big Squares and Expert a small square can lie inside a larger one. The overlap rule says what happens then: for example, with Consume a larger square removes the smaller ones inside it, with Takeover it takes them from the opponent, with Protected a small square blocks the larger one. There are 13 rules, and the guide explains each with an example.

How strong is the computer?

There are four levels, and they are four different ways of playing. Easy draws at random, Normal takes what it can one edge at a time, Hard plans a whole turn and your best reply to it, and Expert tests its options by playing the game on many times. Each level is stronger than the one below it; in dice games Expert is only a little ahead of Hard, because the dice still decide many games.

What does the app know about me?

Your statistics, settings and an unfinished game are kept on your device. If you play online, the game server gets the name you chose, a random player ID and your moves, and keeps a game only while it is being played. The privacy policy has the details.

Coming to Google Play

Boxed In is not listed on Google Play yet. This page will carry the link as soon as it is.

Coming soon to Google Play

Questions or feedback: enlyzr@gmail.com