What Is Trap the Cat?

Trap the Cat is a classic logic puzzle where a mischievous cat sits on a hex grid and you must surround it with blocks before it escapes. Every time you click an empty cell to place a block, the cat moves one step toward the nearest open edge. Think ahead — seal every escape route before the cat slips out.

How to Play

Click any empty hexagonal cell to darken it. After your click the cat takes one step toward freedom. Your goal is to encircle the cat completely with no open cells adjacent to it. If the cat reaches the edge of the board, you lose. Each puzzle starts with a random scattering of blocked cells to give you an initial advantage.

Controls

  • Click — place a block on an empty cell

Tips

Work on the side closest to the edge first — those are the most dangerous escape paths. Don't chase the cat; instead, cut off the direction it is heading. Pre-existing blocked cells form natural walls; build your trap outward from them to minimize the clicks needed.