How do you solve Lights Out?
In Lights Out, tapping a square switches it and the squares directly above, below, left and right of it. The goal is to turn every light off. A reliable method is "chasing the lights": go row by row from the top, and for each light still on, tap the square directly below it. That pushes all the lit squares to the bottom row, which you then fix with a short known pattern. Order does not matter, and tapping a square twice cancels out.
Lights Out rules
- 5×5 board (3×3 in Mini mode).
- A tap toggles the chosen light and its orthogonal neighbours.
- The puzzle is solved when all lights are off.
- Every puzzle is generated from a solved board, so it is always solvable.
Tips and strategy
- Tapping the same square twice does nothing, so a solution never needs a square twice.
- The order of taps does not matter; only which squares you tap.
- Chasing the lights reduces any 5×5 board to a bottom-row problem in at most 20 taps.
A short history of Lights Out
Lights Out was released as a handheld electronic game by Tiger Electronics in 1995. Its maths, linear algebra over two values (on and off), makes it a favourite example in university courses.
Lights Out questions
Is every Lights Out puzzle solvable?
Not every random 5×5 pattern is, but every puzzle on PuzzlePage is: each one is created by pressing squares on an all-off board, so a solution always exists.
What is the fewest moves to solve Lights Out?
It depends on the puzzle. Any solvable 5×5 board can be solved in at most 15 presses, and the hint button uses the shortest solution it can find.
Is Lights Out free to play?
Yes. Lights Out on PuzzlePage is free in any browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with no download and no sign-up. Your streaks and best times are kept on your device. The page shows a few ads, which never cover the game, and the Player Club removes them.
Can I put Lights Out on my own website?
Yes. Sign up free with your email at puzzlepage.app/embed, click the link we send, and copy the embed code. The game runs inside your page, restyled to your colors, with a small PuzzlePage credit.
Put Lights Out on your website
Teachers, bloggers and activity coordinators can add Lights Out to their own page for free. Sign up with your email on the embed page, click the link we send you, and copy the code. It matches your site's colors and keeps a small PuzzlePage credit.
More classic games
Lights Out on PuzzlePage is an original implementation of a traditional game, with its own design. It is not affiliated with any operating system or software publisher.