About the game
Patrol Route is a free one-line puzzle game. Each level is a small city district seen from above: grey squares are streets, coloured roofs are buildings. Your patrol car starts at the police station and has to drive through every street square exactly once, in one unbroken route, without ever crossing its own path.
Early maps are small and forgiving. Later maps grow to eight by eight, more buildings break up the streets into narrow corridors, and from level 4 some maps add a checkpoint flag where the route must end. There are 24 levels in four ranks — Rookie, Officer, Sergeant and Chief.
Every map was built from a real route that visits each street once, so every level is guaranteed to have a solution. Many levels have more than one.
How to play
- Start at the station. Press on the POLICE square and drag into a neighbouring street. The route can move up, down, left or right — never diagonally.
- Keep going. Drag through the streets one square at a time. The yellow line shows your route and the patrol car shows where it ends.
- Back up when stuck. Drag back along your route, press Undo, or tap any square of your route to cut it back to that point.
- Cover everything. The Streets counter shows how many squares you have covered. The level is complete when every street is covered — and, on flag levels, the route ends on the flag.
Hints and stars
The Hint button compares your route with a known solution. If your route is still on track, the next square to drive to glows blue. If it has gone wrong, the route is cut back to the last correct square and the square to go to next glows. Hints are unlimited, but they affect your stars:
- 3 stars: solve the level without a hint.
- 2 stars: solve it with one hint.
- 1 star: solve it with two or more hints. Every solve unlocks the next level.
There are 72 stars to collect, and your progress is saved in your browser.
The four ranks
| Rank | Levels | Map size | What's new |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie | 1–6 | 4×4 and 5×5 | Learn the rules; the first flag appears on level 4. |
| Officer | 7–12 | 5×5 and 6×6 | More buildings and more flag levels. |
| Sergeant | 13–18 | 6×6 and 7×7 | Narrow corridors between buildings. |
| Chief | 19–24 | 7×7 and 8×8 | Big districts, up to 14 buildings, finish on the flag. |
Tips for planning a route
- Dead ends come first or last. A street square with only one open neighbour must be the start or the end of the route. If it is neither the station nor the flag, you have to reach it last — so plan the rest of the route around it.
- Hug the edges. Streets along the edge of the map and around buildings are easy to cut off. Sweeping along them early usually keeps the middle flexible.
- Watch for trapped squares. After each move, check whether you have left a street square with no way in and out. If you have, back up now instead of finishing the route.
- Think in lanes. On open areas, a back-and-forth "snake" through rows or columns covers everything without leaving gaps.
- Work backwards from the flag. On flag levels, imagine the last few squares before the flag first, then connect the station to them.
Frequently asked questions
Is Patrol Route free?
Yes. It is completely free to play in any modern browser with no download, account or in-game purchases.
Does every level have a solution?
Yes. Each map was created from a route that covers every street once, so at least one solution always exists.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. Drag with your finger; the square board fits a phone held upright.
Is there a time limit?
No. Take as long as you like — only hints affect your stars.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. It is a calm logic puzzle with no violence, and the hint button helps younger players when they get stuck.