Contents
1. Trxilt
2. Game Summary
3. Game Board
4. Official Trxilt Rules
5. Trxilt Video's
6. Game Strategies
7. How To Play a New Game
8. Apple Game Center
9. Apple App Store
10. About Trxilt
T r x i l t
A new 5 minute strategy puzzle game. Play 4 game variants with one app! Available free at the Apple App Store. For iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch devices and Mac computers.
Two players play side by side using a single device, or through Apple Game Center to play against opponents worldwide.
Trxilt is based on the pencil and paper game shown below.
"Connect Score - An original game by Rick Nordal that combines Dots and Boxes... with Chess - Brilliant!" - David King
Play Trxilt using just pen and paper! Questions or comments regarding Trxilt? Email: trxiltgames@gmail.com This webpage was updated March 22, 2025.
Game Summary
The 4 Trxilt game variants each have the same two-part strategy in every turn. In the first part the players add "lines" to surround playing pieces in a way similar to Dots and Boxes.
But they don't own those pieces, those pieces become "activated"!
Then they use active pieces to "score" other active pieces. They get the point values of every piece they score.
Scored pieces are "removed" which prevents the other player from scoring them.
When there are no more scoring opportunities, the game is finished. The player with the most points is the winner.
Game Board
The Trxilt game board has a 6 x 6 grid of 36 dots and a 5 x 5 grid of 25 game pieces. Each piece is assigned a point value ranging from 1 to 9 and is equipped with 1, 2, 3 or 4 black scoring lines.
Black scoring lines on orange pieces point vertically and or horizontally, while those on green pieces point diagonal. The variety of piece configuration, including different point values and scoring line orientations, ensures each game is unique. Pieces never move.
Official Trxilt Rules
Players: 2
Ages: 4 to 99
Game time: 5 Minutes
Category: Strategy Puzzle Game
Cost: Free!
The 4 game variants played with the Trxilt app are:
1) Trxilt USA
2) Trxilt Switzerland
3) Trxilt Italy
4) Trxilt Australia
The 4 variants use the same game rules and game board, but differ primarily in their unique line placement rules, which significantly affect strategy and game play dynamics.
Rule 1
Trxilt USA - Line Placement
Players have the freedom to place both horizontal and vertical lines anywhere on the game board. A player places one line per turn.
Trxilt Switzerland - Line Placement
Boundries defined, tactics sharpened. Players have less options where to place a line. For the entire game, one player places only vertical lines anywhere on the game board and the other player places only horizontal lines anywhere on the game board. A player places one line per turn.
Trxilt Italy - Line Placement
Red line to red line. Blue line to blue line. Such a simple rule but profound strategy to win. At the start of the game players are allowed to place their first and second line anywhere on the game board. All additional lines placed, must now connect to same color lines already placed. A player places one line per turn.
In the picture below, the red dotted lines show six different locations where the next red line can be placed.
In the picture below, the blue dotted lines show eight different locations, where the next blue line can be placed.
Reset rule: If a line can no longer connect to a same color line, you can place it anywhere on the game board. All additional lines placed, must again connect to a same color line. This reset rule allows players to create new strategies if their initial paths are blocked.
Trxilt Australia - Line Placement
Game setup: Before each game is played, players place 40 lines to create the special geometric line pattern shown below. Color lines need not match. (Note: While the pattern uses 40 lines, during a game only 20 lines are actually placed - 10 lines per player.)
Geometric Line Pattern of Australian Cane Toad
Line placement rule: Players have the freedom to place both horizontal and vertical lines anywhere on the game board. A player places one line per turn. When a line is placed, one or two game pieces are instantly activated, that typically creates a scoring opportunity in the same turn. The variety of piece configurations - including difference in point values and scoring line orientations - ensures that each game is unique.
Rule 2
Players Take Turns
The youngest player goes first. Each players turn has 2 parts.
Part 1: Place a line
Part 2: Scoring
Rule 3
Player's Turn. Part 1 - Place a Line
Tap between two dots, where you want to place a single horizontal or vertical line. A grey line will appear to indicate the potential placement, allowing the player to preview the line's strategic position on the game board.
When ready, tap the "Confirm" button.
Once a line is confirmed, it becomes colored and locked in place, preventing any changes or undo actions. You can change your mind anytime before tapping Confirm.
Alternatively, players can double-tap between two dots to place an immediate color line. When you double-tap you cannot undo your action.
If there are any empty lines on the game board, you have to place a line.
Rule 4
Activate
When four lines surround a game piece, it becomes activated! This activation indicates that the game piece is now in a special state and can be used to score other active pieces.
Adding the 4th side can also activate two pieces at the same time.
Rule 5
Player's Turn. Part 2 - Scoring
If there is no scoring opportunity after a line is placed, your turn is finished. When a scoring opportunity does present itself, the game prompts the player with the message "Pick a scoring move and tap Score" signaling that Part 2 of their turn continues.
A player is allowed to use any active piece, to score any other active piece(s). The piece used for scoring must have a black scoring line, that points directly at the activated piece(s) that are going to be scored.
The example below shows a 7 point scoring opportunity. The black horizontal scoring line on the active 1, points at the active 7.
If there are several different scoring directions available in a players turn, you can only choose one direction. If there are multiple active pieces aligned in the same scoring direction, all of the pieces are scored simultaneously. Two or more pieces cannot all score each other at the same time. Players receive the point value of every piece they score. The scored piece(s) are removed and the scoring piece remains in play. If there is a scoring move you must take it.
The game ends when there are no more scoring opportunities. The player with the most points is the winner. Try to avoid giving your opponent more scoring opportunities than they give you.
Rule 6
How To Score Points Using Your Device
Touch the active piece that you want to use as the "scoring" piece and then swipe your finger along the black scoring line of that piece, that points towards the active piece(s) to be scored.
In the example below, you would place your finger on the 3 and swipe diagonally towards the 7.
A diagonal red line appears on the screen. A +7 also appears below your score total, indicating that the 7 is about to be scored.
Now tap the "Score" button.
The 7 points is added to your score total.
The scored active 7 is removed from the game board. The active 3 remains in play.
Rule 7
What happens when a game ends in a tie?
Tied game rule: This rule applies to all 4 Trxilt game variants. If the number on the last scored game piece is an odd number, player 1 wins the game. If it is an even number, player 2 wins the game.
Sometimes at the end of a game a few pieces might remain on the game board that could not be scored. If this happens, add up the points of all remaining pieces. If it is an odd number player 1 wins. If it is an even number player 2 wins.
The Trxilt Italy game shown below, has ended in a tie. Player 2 wins the game!
Trxilt Video's
The 2 minute 41 second video below shows an entire Trxilt USA game played.
The 5 minute 33 second video below shows an entire Trxilt Switzerland game played.
The 5 minute 34 second video below shows an entire Trxilt Italy game played.
Game Strategies
Trxilt USA
Strategy 1
Opening game: Place safe lines and activate a horizontal or vertical row of 2, 3, 4 or 5 green game pieces. No scoring opportunities are yet created. This is shown below.
Players place additional safe lines, so that no more than two lines surround all remaining pieces. This is shown above. The end game is now played. Each line placed will now cause each piece to have three lines around it, which usually creates a scoring opportunity for each players turn.
Strategy 2
Opening game: Place safe lines and activate a diagonal row of 2, 3, 4 or 5 game pieces. No scoring opportunities are yet created. This is shown below.
Players place more safe lines, so that no more than two lines surround all remaining pieces. This is shown above. The end game is now played. Each line placed will cause a piece to have three lines around it, which usually creates a scoring opportunity for each players turn.
Strategy 3
Opening and middle game: Place safe lines and create geometric shapes "r" and "l" shown below. Make sure the black scoring lines on each game piece inside the geometric shape, point at each other.
Let your opponent place the first line inside the "r" or "l" shape. It will activate one game piece. Now you place the second line inside the "r" or "l" shape. The two remaining game pieces are activated, creating a scoring opportunity for you. The above game strategy is dependant, on what direction the black scoring lines point on each piece. Create the geometric shape "r" and "l" in different 90 degree rotated positions on the game board.
Strategy 4
Opening and middle game: Place safe lines and create geometric shapes "T" and "t" shown below. Make sure the 9 piece, is located where shown.
Any two pieces must first be activated inside the "T" shape, before the 9 piece can be activated. Any three pieces inside the "t" shape must first be activated, before the 9 piece can be activated. Use the delayed activation of the 9 piece as a game tactic. Instead of a 9 piece, use an 8 piece or 7 piece. The above game strategy is dependant, on what direction the black scoring lines point on each piece. Create the geometric shape "T" in different 90 degree rotated positions on the game board.
Strategy 5
Opening and middle game: Place lines to create the same line pattern around the three game pieces shown below. Red and blue lines need not match. A player will place a vertical line to activate the green 8 piece and in the same turn, use the active 3 piece to now score the active green 8 piece.
The other player will also place a horizontal line to activate the orange 8 piece and in the same turn, use the active 3 piece to score the active orange 8 piece. The above strategy allows both players to score an active 8 piece. Instead of two 8's, use two 9's or two 7's. The active piece used for scoring should be a lower point value. The above game strategy is dependant, on what direction the black scoring lines point on each piece.
Place lines around game pieces to create the same line pattern shown below. Red and blue lines need not match. Each player will use the active 5 to score an active 9.
Strategy 6
Opening and middle game: Activate as many pieces as you can, but don't create any scoring opportunities. This tactic will radically change the game dynamics for the rest of the game for both players. In the game below six pieces have been activated, with no scoring opportunities.
Players place safe lines, so that no more than two lines surround all remaining pieces. This is shown above. The end game is now played. Each line placed will cause a piece to have three lines around it, which usually creates a scoring opportunity for each players turn.
Strategy 7
Opening and middle game: Place safe lines and create geometric shapes "L, T, t, r, z, l" shown below. The end game is now played. Each line placed will activate one or two pieces, almost always creating a scoring opportunity for each player.
Create the geometric shapes in different locations on the game board. Repeatedly create just one, or two or three different geometric shapes on the game board.
Trxilt Switzerland
Strategy
Opening and middle game: Player 1 should avoid placing three vertical red lines side by side as shown below. Player 2 who places horizontal blue lines will activate the 8 piece and 4 piece, and then use the active 4 to score the active 8.
Player 2 should avoid placing three horizontal blue lines side by side as shown below. Player 1 who places vertical red lines will activate the 6 piece and 9 piece and then use the active 6 to score the active 9.
The above game strategy is dependant, on what direction the black scoring lines point on each piece.
At the end of every Trxilt Switzerland game, there will always be six vertical red lines and six horizontal blue lines on the game board. This is shown below.
Trxilt Italy
Strategy 1
Opening game: Player 1 is creating a continuous red line on the game board that strategically surrounds six high point value pieces. Player 2 is blocked from activating these six pieces. Player 1 will activate the six pieces in the group, and try to score them before Player 2 does.
Player 2 is creating a continuous blue line on the game board, that has no benefit to him. The above game strategy is dependant, on what direction the black scoring lines point on each piece.
Strategy 2
Opening, middle and end game: In the game shown below, Player 1 activated the 8 piece. Player 2 will activate the 5 piece, then use the active 8 to score the active 5.
The above game strategy is dependant, on what direction the black scoring lines point on each piece. This strategy is also used when playing the other 3 Trxilt game variants.
How To Play a New Game
Tapping New (bottom left corner of screen) gives you three choices to start a new game.
1) Two Player will start a new game on your iPhone or iPad with both players taking turns on the same screen.
2) Two Player Online will go to the Game Center matching screen. You will be asked to log in if you are not already logged in to the Game Center.
3) Rematch will start another game just like the previous game. If you were playing remotely this will start another game with the same person you were playing with.
The above image is what you will see on your screens device when choosing your three choices to start a new game.
Apple Game Center
Game Center allows a player to play another player nearby or with a player anywhere in the world. Game Center is a service by Apple. When you choose Two Player Online the Multiplayer Game screen in Game Center will appear. If you are not already signed in to Game Center you will be asked to sign in.
You might need to first turn Game Center on in the Settings app. You cannot play online without signing in. Tap the Play Now button to ask Game Center to match you with another player. The player is selected randomly from all the other players who are also requesting to Play Now. The Invite Friends button will work in different ways depending upon how your Game Center account is configured and how Messages are configured on your device. Trxilt does not store any achievements, leaderboards or history on Game Center or anywhere else.
Apple App Store
The Trxilt puzzle game is available for free at the Apple App Store. Apple has a new Privacy Policy. When you purchase Trxilt from the App Store, you will see a banner ad located at the top of screen. To delete the banner ad, do the following. Tap the word Store located at the bottom right of screen.
The Remove Ads screen appears. Now you tap on the Ads icon ( shown below ) to go to the App Store to purchase the No Ads feature.
After purchasing Trxilt for $1.39 you will no longer see the banner ads.
Below is a banner ad, as it would appear on an iPad device.
The image below has no banner ad. The Trxilt game has been purchased. The entire gameboard will appear slightly larger.
About Trxilt
Category: 2 Player / Puzzle
Created by: David Reich, Rick Nordal and Solomon Reich.
Game programming: Created by David Reich
Price: Free at the App-Store Apple
In-App Purchases: Remove Ads $1.39
Size: 13.1 MB
Year published: 2016
Compatibility: For iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices with iPadOS 10.0 or later. For Mac computers with macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
Languages: English
Seller: Stellar Software Pty Ltd.
Copyright © 2016-2025 by Stellar Software Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. The Trxilt name and logo is a trademark of Stellar Software Pty Ltd. Comments or questions regarding Trxilt? Email: trxiltgames@gmail.com
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