How to Play Towers of Hanoi
Simple Rules. Endless Depth.
Three pegs, a stack of disks, one goal. Move the entire stack from the left peg to the right peg. The rules are simple. Mastering them is another matter entirely.
The Rules
Move one disk at a time.
You can only pick up the top disk from any peg.
Never place a larger disk on a smaller one.
Every disk must always be smaller than the disk beneath it.
Use all three pegs.
The middle peg is not decoration. It is essential.
The Goal
Move all disks from the left peg to the right peg, largest at the bottom and smallest at the top, without ever breaking the two placement rules.
Scoring
Optimal Moves
The mathematically perfect number of moves for that puzzle, always 2ⁿ minus 1 where n is the number of disks. Matching it earns a Perfect Run.
Stars
Three stars means a perfect solution. Two stars means you came close. One star means you solved it but left room to improve.
Time
Starts on your first move, not when the level loads. Study the puzzle before you commit.
Personal Best
Tracked separately for time and move count. Both are shown during gameplay so you always know what you are chasing.
Basic Strategy
Think before you move. Every move exists to enable one thing: getting the largest disk to the destination peg. Plan that move first and work backwards.
The recursive pattern that solves every level:
1 Move the top n minus 1 disks to the middle peg
2 Move the largest disk to the destination peg
3 Move those n minus 1 disks from the middle peg to the destination peg
Repeat this logic at every scale and you will always find the optimal path.
Controls
Tap
Tap a peg to select the top disk. Tap another peg to place it.
Drag
Press and hold a disk, drag it to the destination peg, and release.
Combo
Both tap and drag available at once. Most competitive players prefer tap for speed. Drag feels more natural for beginners.
Change your preference anytime in Settings.
One Thing to Know
Returning a disk to the peg you just picked it up from counts as a move. Every action has a cost. Think before you lift.