How to play Cogwise
A crank turns the steel gear once. Some gears show their number of teeth, some show ?. Put each tile from the tray on a ? gear so that every marked gear turns at the speed on its badge. Each tile is used once. There is always exactly one answer, and you can always reach it by logic: no guessing.
The rules
| Link | What it does |
|---|---|
| Touching gears | Teeth × speed is the same on both, and they turn opposite ways. A 12-tooth gear touching a 24-tooth gear turning ×1 turns ×2. |
| Steel rod (shared axle) | Both gears turn at the same speed and the same way, whatever their teeth. |
| Belt | Like touching teeth (teeth × speed stays the same), but both gears turn the same way. A crossed belt (✕) turns them opposite ways. |
Speeds are turns of a gear for one turn of the crank. ×3/2 means one and a half turns.
Clues
| ×2 | The gear turns exactly twice per crank turn. The curved arrow shows which way. |
| ×1–2 | The gear turns at least ×1 and at most ×2. |
| ▲ >×1 | Faster than the crank. |
| ▼ <×1 | Slower than the crank. |
| Loop | When two routes reach the same gear, both must give it the same speed. |
Tips
- Gears in the middle of a plain chain of touching gears do not change the speed. Only the first and last count.
- Start with a clue that has only one missing gear: work it out directly.
- A clue with two missing gears allows only a few pairs from the tray. Use notes (✎) to keep track.
- Leftovers count: if a tile fits only one gear, it goes there.
Checks, tries and stars
Placing tiles, notes and undo are always free. When every gear is filled, press ✓ Check: the crank turns. If a clue is missed, the train stops, the missed clue shows its real speed in red, and the box under the board says why. A failed check costs one try; your first failed check on each new level is free. You have 5 tries and get one back every 30 minutes. Finishing a chapter refills them.
Three stars: solved on the first check with no hint. Two stars: one failed check, or any hint. One star: solved.
Hints and Bolts
A hint first shows where to look, then explains the step in words, then places the gear. You get one free hint a day; more cost 300 Bolts. Bolts come from stars (10, 20 and 40 for the first, second and third star of a level), the Daily, the Weekly, chests and achievements. A refill of 5 tries costs 900 Bolts.
Daily, Weekly and Endless
The Daily Challenge is the same puzzle for everyone. You get one try, timed by our server from the moment you start. The Weekly has 5 puzzles. Endless makes a fresh puzzle at the difficulty you choose.
Questions
Is there really only one answer?
Yes. Every puzzle is checked by a solver that proves the answer is unique and that a person can reach it step by step.
Why can't I see the direction difference?
Turn on Colour-blind marks in Settings: direction and faster/slower marks get extra words and shapes.
Can I play with a keyboard or screen reader?
Yes. Tab moves between gears, Enter selects one, and every gear is read out with its teeth, clue and links. Turn on Gear letters in Settings to see the names.
Do I lose progress if I clear my browser?
Progress lives on this device. Sign in from the account button to keep it in the cloud and play on other devices.
Cogwise is made by Ember Gaming LLC.