About Zellij
Zellij is a calm puzzle about the star patterns of Islamic art. Every tile holds a piece of a pattern; turn the tiles until every line meets its neighbour and the whole design blooms into light.
How it works
- Tap a tile to turn it. An orange dot marks a line that does not meet anything yet.
- No line may run off the edge of the board.
- Finish at par (the fewest taps possible) for three stars. The stars above the board change as you play.
- Stuck? A hint turns one wrong tile into place.
A journey through the cities of zellij
Seven chapters, each with its own colours and one new idea:
- Fez: square tiles and eight-pointed stars
- Tetouan: fixed tiles with brass studs that never turn
- Granada: hexagons and six-pointed stars
- Damascus: linked tiles that turn together
- Cairo: mirrored twins that turn the other way
- Isfahan: everything at once, on the biggest boards
- Maalem: endless boards for master craftsmen
More ways to play
- Daily pattern: the same new board for everyone, every day
- Zen: endless boards with no counting
- Ramadan Nights: thirty lantern boards during Ramadan, with a grand board on the 27th night
Made to relax
- Hand-drawn star patterns built with the classic Hankin method
- Soft oud notes on the Hijaz scale with every turn
- Unlock city colours and the Shamsa and Warda pattern styles as you go
- Plays offline, in English and Arabic
Optional short videos give you an extra hint, two bonus hints after a level, or a 24-hour try of locked colours. Hint packs, unlimited hints and all colours are optional purchases; the whole game plays without them.
