How to Play Latice

Latice is a calm, strategic tile-matching board game. Two players — you versus an AI opponent or a friend — race to play out their tiles by matching colors and shapes, building combos, and spending stones for extra moves. A full game takes about ten minutes.

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Already own the Latice board game? The online edition uses the same tiles and rules — play a game against the AI or challenge a friend in your browser, no download or sign-up needed.

The goal

Each player starts with 42 tiles. The first player to play all of their tiles wins. Every game opens on the Moon Square — the star in the center of the board.

Matching rules

A tile may be placed next to an existing tile when it matches by color or shape. Every adjacent tile must match: if your placement touches two neighbors, both need a color or shape match.

Combos: Doubles, Trefoils, and Latices

Double — match a tile on two sides at once and earn a halfstone. Collect two halfstones and you can play a second tile in one turn.

Trefoil — match on three sides and earn a sunstone, the game's most valuable currency.

Latice — the namesake move: match on all four sides for two sunstones (three if it lands on a Sun Square).

Stones and extra moves

Wind tiles and Sun Squares

Wind tiles let you shift any tile on the board one square — and you get a free move after using one. Shifting a tile can open up a Trefoil or Latice that wasn't there before.

Sun Squares are the decorated squares near the corners. Land a tile on one for a bonus sunstone.

Exchanging tiles

Stuck with an unplayable rack? You can exchange a tile instead of placing one — sometimes a fresh draw plays far better than forcing a weak move.

Latice Hawaii and the deluxe edition

Latice Hawaii is the same game with island-themed tiles (flowers, turtles, surfboards) and the same rules on this page: match by color or shape, earn stones for doubles and trefoils, use Wind tiles to shift a tile and Sun Squares for extra moves. Whichever box you own — original, Hawaii or Deluxe — the online game plays identically, so you can practise against the AI or play a friend anywhere without setting up the board.

Strategy tips

  1. Build toward multi-side matches. A tile that only ever matches one neighbor earns nothing; shape your placements so future tiles can touch two or three sides.
  2. Bank halfstones early. Double-tile turns are how you outpace an even game.
  3. Save Wind tiles for Latice setups. One shift often converts a Trefoil spot into a four-side Latice.
  4. Deny Sun Squares. If you can't take a Sun Square this turn, avoid opening a match that hands it to your opponent.
  5. Watch both racks' pace. The win is tiles played, not stones held — spend stones before the endgame.

Ways to play

Frequently asked questions

How do you win a game of Latice?
Play all 42 of your tiles first. If neither player can finish, the fewest tiles remaining wins.
What are the matching rules?
Place a tile next to another when it matches by color OR shape — and every adjacent tile must match.
What are Doubles, Trefoils, and Latices?
Combos for matching on two, three, or four sides — worth a halfstone, a sunstone, and two sunstones respectively.
What do Sun Squares and Wind tiles do?
Sun Squares grant a bonus sunstone when you land on them; Wind tiles shift any board tile one square and give a free move.
Is Latice free to play online?
Yes — play free in your browser at latice.com. No download or sign-up needed to start.
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