Candy Connect New

Candy Connect New sets its difficulty by board size rather than by rules. Easy, medium and hard all ask the same thing, which is to tap two identical candy tiles and take them off, but hard simply gives you far more of them to search through. A longer explanation of the rule sits in the beginner rules page.

A time allowance covers the attempt, so the size you pick decides how much scanning has to fit inside it. On the small board the pairs are found almost as fast as you look, while on the large one the same eye has to cross a much wider area, and that is where the clock starts to matter. Aqua Link occupies the neighbouring slot in the catalogue.

Two aids sit beside the grid. A hint will point out a pair, and a shuffle rearranges the sweets when the layout has nothing left to give. Both cost time, which is the trade the game keeps asking you to make at 800 by 450. Another entry from the same shelf is the Fruit board.

1. Choose easy, medium or hard to set the size of the board.
2. Look for two candy tiles carrying the same sweet.
3. Tap both to clear them.
4. Use a hint if the board looks empty of pairs, or a shuffle if it is.
5. Find every pair before the time allowance runs out.

• Start on easy — the small board in Candy Connect New teaches you the sweets before hard makes you search a wide grid for them.
• Sweep in strips — scanning row by row beats jumping about when a whole board has to be paired inside a time allowance.
• Hint late — the button always finds something, but the seconds it costs are worth more near the end.
• Shuffle rather than stall — a dead layout burns the clock faster than the reshuffle does.