A BoxOff tray part-way through a game, coloured pieces arranged in the grid

BoxOff

An addicting solo game of nerve and foresight.

Draw pieces into the tray, then lift out any two of a kind that have a clear rectangle of empty space between them. Clear the whole tray and you have won.

What it is

One player, one tray, one clean rule

BoxOff strips a matching game down to its sharpest form. Every decision is visible on the table, and every game is different.

Close-up of matching pieces being lifted from the tray

Remove a pair — if the box between them is empty

Two pieces can only come off together when the smallest rectangle that contains both of them holds nothing else. Keep space open and you keep your options.

The full set of BoxOff pieces laid out by colour

Quick to learn, hard to master

The rules fit on a card. The strategy — reading the board several draws ahead — keeps pulling you back for another attempt.

BoxOff set packed for travel next to a coffee cup

Plays anywhere

A game takes a few minutes and a small footprint — a café table, a plane tray, a lunch break. No screen required.

This month

Try the August 2026 challenge

A fixed starting layout for every player. Post your result, then check the archive for previous months.

The August 2026 BoxOff challenge starting position

August 2026 — “Cornered”

Set up the tray exactly as shown and see how many pieces you can remove. A printable sheet and the solution are on the challenge page.

See all monthly challenges

“A wonderfully pure little puzzle — the kind of thing you keep in a coat pocket and never get tired of.”

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Ready to try it?

BoxOff is published by NewVenture Games and available now.