TikiTaka — The football passing puzzle game
TikiTaka is a football puzzle played on a tactics board. You are given a team, a wall of defenders and one ball, and you have to work out the single passing move that finds every teammate once and finishes in the net. It is not a quiz — there is nothing to recall and nothing to look up. Everything you need is on the pitch in front of you.
Each day brings five boards, and each one adds another player to thread the ball through. A pass that looks obvious early can strand you three passes later, because your own passing lines become obstacles you cannot cross. Working out the order is the whole game, and there is exactly one order that works.
How to play TikiTaka
- Drag the ball from the player who has it to the teammate you want to pass to.
- Every teammate has to receive the ball exactly once — nobody twice, nobody skipped.
- Keep pass lines clear of defenders and of your own earlier passes.
- Once everyone has had a touch, the last player shoots — and that shot has to be clean too.
Tips to score higher
Work backwards from the goal: The finish is the most constrained pass on the board, because only one player takes it and the lane has to be completely clear. Find who can realistically shoot, then work out the order that leaves them holding the ball last.
Corners before the middle: Players out near the touchline usually have the fewest safe passes available to them. Fitting the awkward ones into the chain early is easier than leaving them stranded at the end with no clean line out.
Watch the lines you have already drawn: On the harder boards your own passes block you. Before committing, look at whether the line you are about to play will cut off a pass you still need later — a legal pass now can be the reason the move dies three touches on.
Frequently asked questions
Is there always a solution?
Yes. Every board is machine-checked before it is served, so each puzzle has exactly one passing order that reaches every player and finishes. If you are stuck, the move exists — you have not found it yet.
What happens if I get stuck?
Play the ball backwards to step the move back and try a different order. Walking into dead ends is part of the puzzle, so the game tells you when you are in one rather than leaving you to work it out.
Can I play previous days?
Yes. The archive holds every daily that has already been played, and signed-in players can go back and attempt the ones they missed. Archived rounds are for practice only — they do not affect your streak, your stats or the leaderboard.
Does everyone get the same puzzles?
Yes. The date decides the boards, so every player gets an identical set of five moves on the same day and the daily leaderboard is a fair comparison.