It is a placement puzzle where you put three pieces at a time on a 9x9 board and clear full rows and columns. After every third piece the whole board turns a quarter turn and loose groups drop to the new floor.

What happens when the board turns?

The board rotates clockwise, so the old right column becomes the bottom row. Every group of touching blocks that is not on the floor drops straight down, and any rows they complete clear. Groups touching the right wall stay where they are.

Can I rotate the pieces?

No. Each piece arrives in a fixed orientation, which is part of the puzzle. You choose where to put it and in which order to place the three pieces of a hand.

A run ends when none of the remaining pieces in your hand fits anywhere on the board. You must place all three pieces before the board turns, so the turn cannot free up space for a stuck hand.

How does the Daily puzzle work?

Each day has its own set of hands, the same for everyone, based on the UTC date. Your board still depends on how you play. You can replay it, your best for the day is kept, and playing on consecutive days builds a streak.

Is there undo, and do I need to download anything?

An optional undo of your last move and a second wind at game over can be offered once each per run, and you never have to use them. No download or account is needed, and your best score and unfinished run are saved in your browser.

Gyre Blocks

A block puzzle game where the whole board turns a quarter turn every third piece.

About this game

Gyre Blocks is a free block puzzle game you play in your browser. Place three odd-shaped pieces on a 9x9 board and clear full lines. Then the board turns. Loose groups settle onto the new floor, so every move is a plan. Play Endless or the Daily puzzle with no download.

Gyre Blocks is a block puzzle game about planning one turn ahead. You get a hand of three pieces, and you place them anywhere they fit on a 9x9 board, in any order. The pieces are odd shapes between one and five squares, and there are 18 different shapes in the set. You cannot rotate a piece, so the way it arrives is part of the puzzle. Fill a whole row or column and it clears at once.

The twist comes after the third piece of a hand. The entire board turns a quarter turn clockwise, and the right wall becomes the new floor. Every group of touching blocks that is not resting on that floor drops straight down until it lands. Blocks that touch the right wall are already on the floor, so they stay where they are. Groups are made of any blocks that touch, no matter which piece they came from, so shapes you build stay together and gaps stay gaps.

A drop can finish a row, and a cleared row can leave other groups hanging, which then fall and may finish another row. Turn clears score more than clears made while placing, and a long chain of them pays more again. Clearing the entire board gives a Clean Sweep bonus. Surviving each turn earns points too, and clearing lines on back-to-back placements builds a combo multiplier.

You are never surprised by the turn. A panel labelled After the turn shows a small copy of the board as it will look once the hand is finished, and you can hold F to see it over the board. A glowing strip on the right edge marks the next floor. Place all three pieces before the turn, because the turn will not rescue a stuck hand. The run ends when none of the remaining pieces fits anywhere.

Choose Endless for a random run, or Daily for a puzzle that gives everyone the same hands that day, based on the UTC date. Your board still depends on your own choices, so results differ. Replays are allowed, your best for the day is kept, and playing on consecutive days builds a streak. There is no timer, a run usually lasts a few minutes, and your best score and unfinished run are saved in your browser. Tile glyphs mean colour is never the only clue, and a Motion option reduces animation. The game works with mouse, keyboard or touch. On a phone it reads best when held sideways.

How to play

Press Play for an Endless run, or Daily for today's shared puzzle. The first run shows short hints as you go.
Drag one of the three pieces from the tray onto the board. A green ghost means the spot is valid and a red ghost means it is not. Lines that would complete pulse.
Fill a whole row or column to clear it. Blocks above a cleared line stay where they are until the board turns.
Check the After the turn panel. It shows where every loose group will land once you place the last piece of the hand.
Place the third piece. The board turns a quarter turn clockwise, the right wall becomes the floor, and loose groups drop onto it. Any rows they complete clear and can set off more drops.
Keep going with the next hand of three. The run ends when none of the remaining pieces fits, and the result screen shows your score, turns, lines and biggest chain.

Controls

Action	Keyboard	Mouse	Touch
Pick up a piece	1 2 3 select slot (Tab cycles unplaced)	press on a tray slot, drag	press and drag
Aim	arrow keys move the ghost 1 cell (clamped on board)	move pointer; piece centered on pointer	piece is lifted 1.5 cells above the finger
Place	Enter or Space	release over a valid spot	release
Cancel	Esc while a piece is held (first press deselects; second pauses)	release off board, or on an invalid spot	same
Click-to-place (mouse only)	-	click a slot to select, click the board to place at that anchor	not offered
Peek forecast on the board	hold F	hold F or press and hold the forecast panel	press and hold the forecast panel
Undo (if offered)	Z	button	button
Pause	Esc, P	pause button, Esc, P	pause button
Mute	M	speaker button	speaker button
Fast-forward playback	Enter/Space	click	tap

Tips

Build against the right wall when you want blocks to stay put. Anything touching that wall is already on the next floor and will not move.
Build in tall, connected shapes if you want a group to fall far. Check the After the turn panel before you commit the third piece of a hand.
A line that clears while you place a piece leaves the blocks above it floating. Use that on purpose, because the turn will bring them down.
Look at all three pieces before you place the first one. Because the turn will not rescue a stuck hand, make sure each remaining piece still has room.
Avoid leaving single empty squares walled in on every side. They are hard to fill and they make later pieces harder to fit.
Try the Daily puzzle to practise. Everyone gets the same hands that day, so you can compare plans without the luck of the deal.

Frequently asked questions

What is Gyre Blocks?: It is a placement puzzle where you put three pieces at a time on a 9x9 board and clear full rows and columns. After every third piece the whole board turns a quarter turn and loose groups drop to the new floor.
What happens when the board turns?: The board rotates clockwise, so the old right column becomes the bottom row. Every group of touching blocks that is not on the floor drops straight down, and any rows they complete clear. Groups touching the right wall stay where they are.
Can I rotate the pieces?: No. Each piece arrives in a fixed orientation, which is part of the puzzle. You choose where to put it and in which order to place the three pieces of a hand.
When does a run end?: A run ends when none of the remaining pieces in your hand fits anywhere on the board. You must place all three pieces before the board turns, so the turn cannot free up space for a stuck hand.
How does the Daily puzzle work?: Each day has its own set of hands, the same for everyone, based on the UTC date. Your board still depends on how you play. You can replay it, your best for the day is kept, and playing on consecutive days builds a streak.
Is there undo, and do I need to download anything?: An optional undo of your last move and a second wind at game over can be offered once each per run, and you never have to use them. No download or account is needed, and your best score and unfinished run are saved in your browser.