Confusion: rules and how to play

Objective and setup

Each player has twelve pieces, one of each movement type, randomly assigned to letters A–L. You see the movement diagrams of your opponent’s pieces but not those of your own. On the 11×11 board each player starts with two rows of six pieces, in two groups of three with a central gap. The two outer columns are empty. A neutral puck starts in the centre. White moves first.

Win by placing one of your pieces carrying the puck on the opponent’s far row and keeping it there through their reply. Discovering all your pieces does not itself win the game.

Attempting a move

Select a piece and a destination. The other player can see its diagram and says whether the attempt is permitted; the website answers automatically. If permitted, the piece moves. Otherwise it stays where it is. Either way your turn ends. Every move is straight; pieces and the puck cannot be jumped over. A permitted move onto an opposing piece captures it; a piece cannot move onto a friendly piece. Capturing a piece does not reveal its original type to its owner.

Movement diagrams

Forward is towards the opponent. Each arrow is an allowed direction; the number is the maximum distance. A piece may move a shorter positive distance along an arrow if its path is clear. The opposing diagrams shown during play are rotated to match the board.

The puck

A piece gains control of the puck by moving onto its square, capturing an opposing carrier if necessary. When choosing your carrier, you may move with the puck, move away leaving it behind, or pass the puck while the piece stays put. A pass follows the carrier’s movement diagram and cannot jump over pieces. It may end on an empty square, a friendly piece or an opposing piece. Passing to an opponent gives them the puck; it does not capture them. An illegal attempt leaves everything in place and uses the turn.

Promotion and victory

Rocket, Novice, Crab and Abbot promote when they reach the opponent’s far row. Thereafter the piece moves one or two squares in any of the eight directions. Promotion does not reveal its original type; the other eight types do not promote.

A carrier on the far row wins only if it survives the opponent’s next attempt. Capturing it prevents the win. A puck on an empty far-row square does not win.

Deduction and notes

Record possible types for each piece and eliminate those inconsistent with the answers. A successful attempt shows that a direction and distance are allowed; a refusal rules out types that would necessarily allow it. Each type appears once in your set. You can also record what the opponent may have learned about their own pieces. Notes are private and are not checked by the game. Captured pieces’ notes remain available for reading.

For example, suppose the path is clear. A piece cannot move one square forward: that rules out seven types, leaving Napkin, Crab, Elephant, Cardinal and Abbot. It then moves one square sideways, leaving Napkin or Crab. If it next moves two squares diagonally forward, it must be Crab: Napkin can only move one square. Since there is only one Crab in your set, you can rule it out for your other pieces.

On this website

Select your piece, select a destination and confirm. Clearly impossible geometry is rejected before an attempt is sent. You cannot undo a confirmed attempt. You may resign; losing all pieces is a loss, and human players may agree a draw. In rated games between registered players, each turn has a 72-hour deadline. All types are revealed after a game, which can then be replayed.