OFF THE CLOCK
Shift is the strategy mode in Off The Clock. It has 45 campaign puzzles, from 5×5 to 10×10 boards, fixed walls, linked arrows, Undo, and no timer. Select an arrow to see what would happen, then use Leave to commit. You don't need an account or a download.
The rule that changes everything
An arrow can leave only if its path, in the direction it faces, contains no wall or other arrow. That's the familiar part. The twist is on its tile: the listed letters identify other arrows that will turn 90 degrees clockwise when it leaves.
Only the listed arrows still on the board turn. They stay in place. Turning one doesn't automatically send it away, and it doesn't trigger a chain of departures. Walls stay put for the whole puzzle.
This is why a legal move can still leave you stuck. In Flat and Cube, removing a free arrow opens space. In Shift, you also have to account for the directions you leave behind.
Your first move, without the guesswork
- Select an arrow. Its letter lets you match the piece to the move preview.
- Read the route. Check whether an arrow or a wall blocks its exit.
- Read the links. Picture each listed arrow after one clockwise turn: up becomes right, right becomes down, down becomes left, left becomes up.
- Check the aftermath. Will a linked arrow face an open edge, another piece, or a wall?
- Press Leave when you're ready. Selecting a tile is only a preview.
Here's a made-up example to show the decision. A has a clear exit and lists B. B currently points up toward an open edge, but there's a wall directly to its right. Releasing A would turn B toward that wall. That doesn't prove A is the wrong move—another link might turn B again later—but it gives you something specific to investigate before clicking.
Stuck? Undo is part of the game
If you've cleared half the board and the remaining arrows point nowhere useful, back up. Undo restores the previous board, including the directions changed by that move. Try a different departure order. There is no timer pushing you to make the same choice faster.
Each attempt has three hints. They progress from an observation, to an explanation of a link, to a suggested move, using your current board. Refreshing or undoing doesn't refill them. Restart begins a fresh attempt with three hints.
The little office companion also has a separate Say hi interaction. A smile costs no hint. Sometimes a tiny coworker with no follow-up questions is exactly the right amount of company.
What happens after the first board?
The campaign moves through 5×5, 6×6, 7×7, 8×8, 9×9 and 10×10 boards, with as many levels in each group as its side length. Clear all the arrows to earn that level's trophy and use Next puzzle to continue. There are 45 campaign trophies; replaying a completed level doesn't add a duplicate.
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Want the simplest introduction to arrow puzzles first? Start with Flat. Ready for the version where order matters? Play Shift. Leave the easy-looking arrow alone for a second. It might be the interesting one.