About MatchUp

MatchUp is a free daily tile matching game where you flip pairs of patterned tiles and clear the board. Each day a fresh 6×6 grid of 36 tiles awaits — 18 hidden pairs of emoji patterns shuffled by a daily seed so every player worldwide gets the same puzzle. The game is clean, distraction-free, and loads instantly on any device. If you enjoy tile matching games like Tiles or Mahjong Solitaire, you'll feel right at home with MatchUp. It captures the satisfying "flip and match" loop of classic pattern matching puzzles — with a modern, minimal interface and zero clutter. No paywalls, no trackers, no login. Just flip, match, and clear. MatchUp is part of PuzzleBoxs, a collection of 10 free daily word and logic puzzles. Beat the board, compare your time with yesterday's score, and share your result in one tap.

How to Play MatchUp

How to play MatchUp: You'll see a 6×6 grid of face-down tiles. Click any tile to flip it face-up and reveal its emoji pattern. Then click a second tile — if it shows the same pattern, both tiles are matched and removed from the board. If they don't match, both flip back face-down after a short pause and you try again. Your goal is to clear all 18 pairs in as few moves and as little time as possible. Use the Hint button (3 uses) to briefly highlight a valid matching pair if you're stuck. Use the Shuffle button (2 uses) to rearrange the remaining unmatched tiles for a fresh look. The timer starts on your first flip, so take a moment to plan before diving in. Clear the entire board to win!

Why MatchUp?
  • 🔒 No tracking, no ads — your data stays on your device
  • 📱 Works offline — install as an app, play anywhere
  • 🆓 Completely free — no paywall, no subscription
  • 🌅 Fresh puzzle every day — streaks and stats saved locally

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MatchUp?

MatchUp is a free daily tile matching puzzle game. You flip face-down tiles to reveal emoji patterns, then match identical pairs to clear the board. A new 6×6 grid is generated every day from a date-based seed.

Is MatchUp the same as NYT Tiles?

MatchUp is inspired by tile matching games like NYT Tiles but is a completely independent free game. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by The New York Times. Unlike Tiles, MatchUp is 100% free with no subscription required.

How do I use the Hint button?

Tap the Hint button to briefly highlight two tiles that form a valid matching pair. You have 3 hints per puzzle. Hints only show face-down tiles, so they won't spoil anything you've already flipped.

What does the Shuffle button do?

Shuffle rearranges all unmatched tiles into new random positions, giving you a fresh perspective on the board. You have 2 shuffles per puzzle. Already-matched tiles remain cleared.

Does MatchUp work offline?

Yes! MatchUp is a Progressive Web App (PWA). Install it from your browser to play offline, with no internet connection required after the first load.

How is the daily puzzle determined?

Each day's board is generated from a deterministic hash of today's UTC date. That means every player worldwide sees the exact same tile layout on the same day — making it easy to compare times with friends.

Are my stats saved?

Yes, your play stats (games played, win streak, time distribution) are saved locally in your browser's localStorage. No data is sent to any server — everything stays on your device.