Gridlock Genius

Gridlock Genius starts as a friendly tile-sliding puzzle and quietly turns into a brain-melter. You clear boards by lining up matching runs, but new tile types keep changing the rules just as you get comfortable. The 'aha' moments come often and feel earned.

I appreciate that it never uses a timer. You can sit and stare at a board for ten minutes, and the game lets you. Hints exist if you're truly stuck, and they nudge rather than solve, which keeps the satisfaction intact.

The later levels demand real thought, and a couple of them stumped me for days. That's a compliment. If you like puzzles you can chew on, this one has plenty of bite.

What we liked

• No timers, pure thinking
• Steadily clever level design
• Hints that nudge instead of spoil