Lights Out · 4 min
Lights Out: Learn the Cross Rule
Plan with the cross-shaped toggle rule instead of chasing individual lights.
Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Written and tested by Starbox EditorialKnow exactly what one tap changes
A tap flips the chosen light and its orthogonal neighbors—up, down, left, and right when those positions exist. Diagonal lights do not change. Corners affect fewer cells than center positions, so the same-looking local problem may need a different move near an edge.
Use cancellation
Tapping a position twice returns every affected light to its previous state. Therefore a useful solution never needs the same square twice; the two taps would cancel. Treat each position as a yes-or-no decision. This reduces frantic experimentation and makes it possible to replay a promising sequence.
Chase lights row by row
After choosing taps in the first row, inspect the light directly below each first-row cell. If it remains on, tap the cell beneath it in the next row. That tap is the only later move that can switch the light above without disturbing earlier rows too widely. Continue downward, then evaluate the final row.
Record the first-row choice
If the last row is not cleared, the error often lies in the starting pattern rather than the chase procedure. Note which first-row squares you tapped and change that choice systematically on the next attempt. A repeatable method turns a confusing board into a small set of starting cases.
Return to the game with a clear method and compare like-for-like attempts.