How to play Geo Grid

01 / The essentials

Geo Grid rules

• Each row and each column is a geography clue: a continent, a coastline, a flag colour, a neighbour, a language and more. A square asks for one place that fits both its row and its column.
• On your turn, pick an open square and name a country (or a state on the US map). A correct answer claims the square. A wrong answer, a pass or running out of time hands the turn to your opponent.
• Each place can only be used once on the board, so taking an easy answer can block your opponent. Every board is checked so all squares can be filled with different places.
• Complete a full row, column or diagonal to win at once. Otherwise the match ends when no square can be claimed, after two rounds of passes, or at the turn limit — the player with more squares wins.
• Answers come from published sources, listed on the rules page. Borderline cases such as transcontinental countries, overseas territories and figures near a threshold are accepted but never required.

02 / Build the habit

Geo Grid strategy

Start with the narrow squares

Each open square shows how many definite answers remain. Squares with one or two answers are easiest to lose, so claim them while you still can.

Spend answers carefully

A place can only be used once on the board. If a country fits two squares, use it where it is the only answer you know and keep the easier square for later.

Block lines early

On a 3 × 3 board two claimed squares in a row are a real threat. Answering the third square in that line is often worth more than taking an isolated easy square.

04 / Put it into practice

Learn with your table

1. Create a private table and add a bot to learn the clue types without a clock.
2. Try the Europe or United States map on a 3 × 3 board before moving to the World map.
3. After a match, select any square to see every answer it accepted.

A common mistake

A wrong answer does not cost a square, but it does hand the turn to your opponent. Check both clues: many misses fit the row or the column but not both.

Where do the answers come from?

Borders, areas and regions come from the open world-countries dataset, populations from the World Bank and the 2020 US Census, and memberships and other lists from the organisations’ own pages. Borderline cases are accepted as answers but never required.