What is a good score?

Lower is better. 0 shuts the box. Anything under about 10 is a strong round, because the tiles that remain are usually the high ones.

Why does the game switch to one die?

After 7, 8, and 9 are shut, two dice often total more than the tiles left open. One die is the usual pub rule.

How does the machine choose?

It shuts the highest open tile that can be part of the roll, and uses as few other tiles as possible.

Where is my best score kept?

In this browser, on this device. Clearing site data for Play Solo removes it. Nothing is sent to a server.

When do I switch to one die?

After tiles 7, 8, and 9 are all shut. Until then you always roll two dice.

Is a lower score better?

Yes. The open-tile sum is your score; zero means you shut the box.

Shut the Box — Free Online

Rules and help

How to play Shut the Box

Nine tiles, numbered 1 through 9, start open. Roll the dice, then shut a set of open tiles that adds up exactly to the roll. You may shut one tile or several. The round ends when a roll cannot be made. Your score is the sum of the tiles still open. Lower is better. Shut every tile and the score is 0.

The roll

At the start, roll two dice.
When 7, 8, and 9 are all shut, roll one die. Two dice would often be too high for the tiles that remain.

Closing tiles

After the roll, tap each tile you want to shut. The selection must add up to the roll, no more and no less. Then press Close. A tile that is shut stays shut.

Just you

Play one round and try to beat your best score on this device. Shutting the box counts as a perfect round.

Against the machine

You play a round, then the machine plays its own round on a fresh box. The lower score wins. An equal score is a tie. The machine shuts the highest open tile it can, using as few other tiles as possible.

Using this game

Press Roll, tap tiles, then press Close. With a keyboard, the keys 1 through 9 select those tiles. Space or Enter rolls, and closes when the selection matches, unless a button or the menu has focus. Your best score stays on this device.

Tips

Shut high tiles when the roll allows—leaving 8 and 9 open keeps you on two dice longer, which is usually helpful.
Think in subsets: a 9 can be 9, 1+8, 2+7, 3+6, 4+5, or three-tile mixes.
In a race, a box shut (0) is decisive; otherwise minimize the leftover sum.
When only low tiles remain, one-die rolls demand careful saving of 1s and 2s.

Playing on a phone or tablet

Tap tiles to select them, then tap Close when they add up to the roll. Roll and Close stay in place. On a narrow screen the tiles sit in two rows.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good score?: Lower is better. 0 shuts the box. Anything under about 10 is a strong round, because the tiles that remain are usually the high ones.
Why does the game switch to one die?: After 7, 8, and 9 are shut, two dice often total more than the tiles left open. One die is the usual pub rule.
How does the machine choose?: It shuts the highest open tile that can be part of the roll, and uses as few other tiles as possible.
Where is my best score kept?: In this browser, on this device. Clearing site data for Play Solo removes it. Nothing is sent to a server.
When do I switch to one die?: After tiles 7, 8, and 9 are all shut. Until then you always roll two dice.
Is a lower score better?: Yes. The open-tile sum is your score; zero means you shut the box.