Skyscrapers
Play Skyscrapers free online: place buildings of heights 1-4 in a grid so clue numbers match visible buildings from each side. A spatial logic puzzle with Retro Coins.
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How it works
Play, earn points and Retro Coins: the shared currency across every RetroPlayNow game. Unlock badges and climb the leaderboard! Your progress is saved automatically on this device.
Skyscrapers is a logic puzzle that transforms a city skyline into pure deduction. You are given an N×N grid where each cell contains a building of height 1 through N. Each row and column must contain each height exactly once — like a mini sudoku without boxes.
The twist is the clues. Numbers around the edges of the grid tell you how many buildings are visible when looking down that row or column from that direction. A tall building blocks all shorter buildings behind it. So if you see the clue "4" from the left, the buildings must be in ascending order — 1, 2, 3, 4 — so all four are visible. A clue of "1" means the tallest building (height N) is first in line.
The interplay between row and column constraints creates a rich deduction puzzle. A 4 in a corner immediately forces the entire line. A clue of 2 next to a 4 creates a known pattern. As the grid fills, each placement constrains both its row and column simultaneously.
Our RetroPlayNow version offers puzzles from 4x4 to 6x6, a clean tap-to-cycle interface for building heights, clue highlighting when a line is satisfied, and error detection for contradictions. Every completed skyline earns Retro Coins.
How to play Skyscrapers
- Place each height once per line. Each row and column must contain each building height exactly once, like a mini sudoku.
- Read the clues. Numbers around the grid tell how many buildings are visible from that direction. Tall buildings block shorter ones behind them.
- Use the extremes. A clue equal to N means buildings are in perfect ascending order. A clue of 1 means the tallest building is first.
- Combine row and column logic. Each cell belongs to one row and one column. Use both constraints together to narrow down possibilities.
- Earn Retro Coins. Complete puzzles to score points based on size and solving time. Faster solutions earn more Retro Coins.
