Lone Dragon

A captivating puzzle that challenges your logic skills. Place exactly one dragon in each row, column, and colored region, while using the numbers as clues to how many dragons surround them.

How to Play

To master Lone Dragon, you need to understand its rules and mechanics.

Game Rules

There are four essential rules you must follow to solve each puzzle:

  1. One dragon per row: Each horizontal row must have exactly one dragon.
  2. One dragon per column: Each vertical column must have exactly one dragon.
  3. One dragon per region: Each colored region must contain exactly one dragon.
  4. Respect the numbers: Numbers on the board show how many dragons are in the surrounding cells (including diagonals).

There's only one solution per puzzle, and no guessing is needed — pure logic will get you there.

Game Controls

Each cell can have one of the following five states:

  • Empty: The cell does not contain a dragon or a mark.
  • Dragon: The cell contains a dragon.
  • Mark: The cell has an X, meaning a dragon cannot go there.
  • Circle: The cell shows a small circle, indicating that a dragon cannot be placed there because it would break the game rules. These appear or disappear automatically when placing or removing a dragon.
  • Number: The cell shows a number that tells how many dragons are in the surrounding cells. This cell cannot be modified.
Action How to Do It How to Do It
Place a dragon
Marks a cell as containing a dragon		 Double-tap on an empty cell, or tap a cell with an X Double-click on an empty cell, or click a cell with an X
Remove dragon
Removes a dragon from a cell		 Tap the cell with the dragon Click the cell with the dragon
Mark cell
Places an X on the cell		 Tap once on an empty cell Click once on an empty cell
Remove mark
Removes the X from a cell		 Double-tap the cell with the X Double-click the cell with the X
Mark or unmark multiple cells
Drag to mark or unmark several cells at once		 Swipe over empty cells to place Xs, or over Xs to clear them Hold down the left mouse button while dragging over empty cells to place Xs, or over cells with Xs to remove them.
Undo move
Reverts the last action (up to 5 in a row)		 Tap the undo button (back arrow) Click the undo button (back arrow)

Difficulty Levels

Lone Dragon offers three well-balanced difficulty levels:

  • Easy: Great for beginners — only basic logic is needed.
  • Medium: Requires more in-depth reasoning.
  • Hard: Designed for puzzle veterans. These puzzles require advanced deduction techniques.

Features and Tools

Use these built-in tools to help you solve puzzles more effectively:

  • Smart Hints: Tap the hint button to see the next logical move based on the current board.
  • Cell Marking: Use Xs to rule out cells where dragons can't go. It helps narrow down possibilities.
  • Number Highlights: Numbers turn green or red depending on whether the number of nearby dragons is correct.
  • Auto Cell Blocking: When you place a dragon, empty cells in the same row, column, and region are blocked automatically to help avoid mistakes.
  • Undo: Made a wrong move? Use the undo button to go back step by step.
  • Expert Mode: Looking for a challenge? Turn this on to disable hints, auto-blocks, and pausing.
  • Timer & Pause: Keep track of your solving time and pause whenever needed.
  • Auto-Save: Your progress is saved automatically. Come back later and pick up right where you left off.
  • Stats Tracking: See detailed stats by size and difficulty — games played, win %, best times, and streaks.
  • Daily Streak: Keep your streak alive by solving at least one puzzle a day.

Solving Strategies

Use these techniques to become a Lone Dragon master:

  • Look for Unique Cells: If only one cell is empty in a row, column, or region, that’s where the dragon must go.
  • Use Your Marks: X out impossible cells to make remaining options clearer.
  • Focus on Regions: Check each colored region to find the only possible cell for its dragon.
  • Use the Numbers: If a number needs more dragons and only a few possible spots remain, place them there.
  • Confirm with Complete Numbers: If a number already has the right number of dragons nearby, mark the rest of its surrounding cells with X.
  • Eliminate with Intersections: If a region only touches one row or column, mark other cells in that row/column (outside the region) with X.

Tips for Success

  • Think Before You Place: Always consider the consequences before placing a dragon.
  • Start with the Obvious: Go for clear and easy deductions first — especially unique cells.
  • Use Marks Generously: Marking impossible cells often reveals patterns you’d otherwise miss.
  • Learn from Hints: Don’t just follow them — understand the logic behind them.
  • Practice Often: The more you play, the better you’ll get. Each puzzle teaches you new strategies.
  • Take Breaks: If you’re stuck, pause and return later with a fresh mind.
  • Level Up Gradually: Master one difficulty level before jumping to the next.