The Grid, cross the criteria and fill the 9 cells
A grid of 3 rows and 3 columns, one criterion per row and per column: a type, a region, a category, a colour… Each cell wants a Pokémon that is true for its row and for its column. 15 tries on Normal, 9 on Hard, and a Pokémon can only be used once.
One miss, one try
You play the cells in any order: pick a cell, then type the name of a Pokémon. Every guess costs a try: 15 on Normal, 9 on Hard. Right, the cell is won; wrong, it stays open and you can try another Pokémon there while you have tries left. Any true answer is accepted, there is no planned answer.
A Pokémon already placed correctly cannot be used again: the guess is refused and the cell stays open. Regional forms and Mega forms are answers of their own: Mega Charizard X is judged on its own type.
Normal or Hard
When you open the mode, you pick your level, with one free game a day for each. Normal is played for fun: it follows your generation filter, aims for at least 4 answers per cell, and counts neither for the leaderboard nor for points.
Hard is always played on every generation, with 1 or 2 answers per cell. It is the only ranked level: 1 point and 1 coin per correct cell, and on a tie the faster player ranks higher.
The criteria
On Normal: type, home region, category (legendary, mythical, paradox, starter, baby), evolution method (stone, trade, friendship), regional form, Mega Evolution and Pokédex colour. Hard adds abilities, moves, egg groups and base stat totals.
Once a pair of criteria has received enough answers, a found cell shows a percentage: the share of correct answers that gave the same Pokémon as you. The lower it is, the rarer your answer.
Combee and Vespiquen
Combee, three honeycomb cells fused into one Pokémon, is the mascot of the mode: seven days in a row on The Grid unlock it, and its shiny version can drop after a free game in which you found at least one cell. Vespiquen, its queen, is earned with a 9 out of 9 on Hard in under 2 min 30 s, on the free game.
How to play
- Cross row and column: the Pokémon must be true for both criteria.
- A miss costs a try and the cell stays open: 15 tries on Normal, 9 on Hard.
- A Pokémon can only be used once per grid.
- Normal or Hard: 4 answers or more per cell on Normal, 1 or 2 on Hard.
The day changes at midnight Paris time for everyone, and every player gets their own grid. A game left open closes at midnight. Without an account you play as a guest, off the leaderboard, and you keep what you earned (coins, mascots) when you create your account.