KEEP IN MIND
- Read rows from left to right; each example moves left.
- Resolve the slide and merges before considering the random new tile.
- A newly formed tile waits until the next move to merge again.
TRY A PREDICTION
What does a left move produce?
Constructed rows, before the random new tile appears. Predict the result, then open the answer.
ROW 01 / MOVE LEFT ←
Reveal the resulting row
Each pair merges once. Neither new 4 can merge again during this move.
ROW 02 / MOVE LEFT ←
Reveal the resulting row
The gap closes, the 2s merge and the existing 4 stays separate from the new one.
ROW 03 / MOVE LEFT ←
Reveal the resulting row
The new 8 cannot merge with the old 8 until a later move.
These are rule illustrations. They do not overwrite your saved board or report a played session.
Try the licensed original player ↗Two pairs: 2, 2, 2, 2
Move left on the constructed row [2, 2, 2, 2]. Before the random tile appears, the result is [4, 4, empty, empty]. The first pair makes a 4 and the second pair makes another 4. Those new tiles do not immediately combine into an 8. The source marks the merged tile so it cannot merge again in that same move.
A gap changes position, not eligibility
For [2, empty, 2, 4], a left move produces [4, 4, empty, empty] before the new tile. The two 2s slide together across the gap. The 4 they create cannot then merge with the existing 4. On a later left move, the pair of 4s could merge if the rest of the row still allows it.
Order matters when three tiles match
For [2, 2, 2, empty], moving left gives [4, 2, empty, empty]. Moving right on the original row instead gives [empty, empty, 2, 4]. The game traverses from the edge toward which you move, so the leading pair resolves first. Predict the direction before counting possible pairs.
The score records the merged values
The two merges in [2, 2, 2, 2] add 8 to the score: 4 for each new tile. A slide without a merge adds no merge points. The score is not simply the sum of tiles visible on the board. Keep this distinction in mind when comparing two moves that create different amounts of space.
A full board can still move
The original move check accepts an empty cell or a matching neighboring pair. A full board with adjacent equal tiles can therefore still have a legal move. Diagonal equality does not help. A key press that changes nothing does not add a random tile; after a changing move, the original code adds a 2 or a 4 to an empty cell.
Use the examples without sacrificing a saved run
These are reasoning exercises, so you can work them out on paper. The original game has no ordinary undo control. Its New Game action clears the current board state, while its local storage and best score have their own roles. Use our licensed player only when you are ready to make a real move.
Read the originals.
Source documents checked . This records a documentation check, not the version deployed by an external game host.
