Merge puzzle tips

Merge puzzles are about bringing matching tiles together so they combine into something bigger. They are easy to start and very relaxing, but a little planning takes you much further. These tips work for Piggy 10, Merge Oink and 2048 Bloom.

Know how your game merges

• In Piggy 10 you tap a group of three or more touching tiles with the same number, and they merge into the next number. Your goal is to reach 10 — and keep going.
• In Merge Oink you drag a line through three or more touching tiles with the same number; they fuse into one tile worth double.
• In 2048 Bloom you swipe, and every tile slides that way; two equal tiles that meet become one tile worth double.

1. Build bigger groups before you merge

In tap and drag games, a group of five is worth more than a group of three: it clears more space and often creates a bigger tile. When a group is almost ready, look for a move elsewhere that will bring one more matching tile next to it.

2. Watch what falls in

In Piggy 10 and Merge Oink, when tiles merge, the tiles above tumble down and new ones arrive. Before you merge, think about which tiles will move and where they will land. A merge at the bottom of the board moves more tiles than one at the top, and often sets off a chain of merges — a cascade.

3. Keep similar numbers close

Try to keep tiles of neighbouring values near each other. In Piggy 10, a group of 4s next to a 5 is a promise, because merging the 4s creates another 5 right where you need it. In Merge Oink and 2048 Bloom, the same goes for 8s next to a 16.

4. The corner strategy (2048 Bloom)

In 2048-style games, choose one corner for your biggest tile and keep it there. Swipe mostly in two directions — for example down and left — so the big tile never leaves its corner, and build a line of decreasing numbers next to it. Use the third direction only when you have to, and avoid the fourth.

5. Don't rush

Most merge puzzles have no timer in their main mode, so take a moment before each move. Ask: what will this merge change? Is there a move that creates two merges instead of one?

6. Save your boosters

Boosters can clear, gather or shuffle tiles. They are most valuable when the board is almost full and no good move is left — not at the start. Keep them for the moment that would otherwise end your game.

7. Try the daily and fast modes

Piggy 10 and Merge Oink have a Daily Challenge and a 60-second Blitz. The daily puzzle is a nice routine, and Blitz is a great way to practise spotting groups quickly.

Play Piggy 10 and see how far these tips take you.