Sneaky Cucumbers

About the Game

Sneaky Cucumbers is an original number-deduction puzzle from Kiwi Cat Games. Kiwi Cat is terrified of cucumbers, and several are hidden under the grass in the yard. Tap a square to uncover it. If it's safe, it shows a number: how many cucumbers are hidden in the 8 squares around it. A 0 opens up its neighbors automatically. Use the numbers to work out where the cucumbers are and uncover every safe square to win.

Think a square hides a cucumber? Long-press it (right-click on a computer) to plant a pink warning sign so you don't uncover it by mistake. Tap a number that already has the right count of warning signs around it, and all its other neighbors open at once – a big time saver.

There are three difficulties – Easy (8×10, 10 cucumbers), Normal (9×12, 18) and Hard (10×14, 28) – plus a Daily Challenge with a new board every day. Your first tap is always safe, and the computer checks every board when it's made to confirm it can be solved by logic alone, so you'll never be forced to guess. Your best time for each difficulty is saved in your browser. All art and sound were drawn and synthesized in code by Kiwi Cat Games.

How to Play Sneaky Cucumbers

1. Press Start Game and choose a difficulty or the Daily Challenge.
2. Tap any square to start. Your first square and its neighbors are always safe, so a patch of grass opens up.
3. Read the numbers: each one is the count of cucumbers in the 8 squares around it. Long-press a square you're sure hides a cucumber to plant a warning sign.
4. Tap an uncovered number when it has exactly that many warning signs around it, and the rest of its neighbors open at once.
5. Uncover every square without a cucumber to win. Uncover a cucumber and Kiwi Cat jumps out of its skin – game over.

Controls

Phone and tablet

• Tap to uncover grass; long-press to plant (or remove) a warning sign.
• You can also use the button at the bottom to switch between Digging and Flagging, so a single tap plants a sign.
• Hint and New Board are at the bottom too. Top left goes back to difficulty select; top right pauses or mutes.

Computer

• Left-click to uncover grass, right-click to plant (or remove) a warning sign.
• You can also play with just the keyboard: arrow keys move the pink cursor, Space or Enter uncovers, F plants a sign, H for a hint, R for a new board.

Tips and Strategy

• Start from numbers in corners and along edges: if a 1 has only one unopened square left next to it, that square is a cucumber.
• When a number already has all its warning signs, the remaining squares around it are safe – tap the number to open them all.
• Compare neighboring numbers. If a 1 and a 2 sit side by side, the extra cucumber must be in the squares that only touch the 2.
• If you're stuck, press Hint to light up a square that's definitely safe – but each hint adds 10 seconds.

FAQ