Daily 2048

How to play Daily 2048

Swipe up, down, left or right (or use the arrow keys). Every tile slides as far as it can that way. When two tiles with the same number bump into each other, they merge into one tile worth double: 2 + 2 makes 4, 4 + 4 makes 8, all the way up to 2048 and beyond.

• After every move, one new tile (a 2, or sometimes a 4) appears in an empty spot.
• Your score goes up by the value of every tile you make by merging.
• The game ends when the board is full and nothing can merge. You can also tap I’m done to bank your score.

What makes it “daily”

In the classic game, new tiles land at random, so two players never get the same game. Here, the new tiles come from today’s date: the same moves give everyone exactly the same board. That makes scores fair to compare, so send yours to a friend and see who stacks better. One run per day, no undo.

Tips

• Pick a corner and keep your biggest tile there. Mostly use just two or three directions.
• Keep the row along your corner full, so the big tile can’t get pushed out.
• Build a “snake”: line tiles up in falling order (256, 128, 64…) so merges chain together.
• Want to try a strategy first? After today’s run, play as many random practice boards as you like.

Why it’s good for you

2048 is planning in disguise: you look a few moves ahead, keep a goal in mind while the board changes, and practise doubling (powers of two) without noticing. Kids get quick mental-maths reps; grown-ups get a calm, focused five minutes.

Free, no account, works on any phone or computer.