---
key: mechanic/point-and-click--family-23
type: mechanic
id: point-and-click--family-23
lang: en
title: 'Logic, mathematics and combinatorics'
summary: >-
  The player applies logical and quantitative constraints to rule out invalid
  combinations.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/point-and-click--family-23/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-23.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-23.md
aliases:
  - Logic and combinatorics
tags:
  - Point-and-click adventures
  - Devices and spatial puzzles
sourceIds:
  - source-ee038a4e63ad2ca4
sources:
  - id: source-ee038a4e63ad2ca4
    title: Hexcells
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/265890/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: point-and-click
    id: family-23
    title: Point-and-click adventures
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/point-and-click/#family-23'
    categoryIds:
      - section-3
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Logic and combinatorics
    description: >-
      The player applies logical and quantitative constraints to rule out
      invalid combinations.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/adventure-hexcells-02.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Hexcells
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/265890/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/265890/ss_b011707202d23cf553d6f1aa6c68cc1c93115151.1920x1080.jpg?t=1667308643
      credit: Matthew Brown
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed
        Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: Numerical constraints on neighboring cells
      alt: Numerical constraints on neighboring cells
      markers:
        - x: 50
          'y': 41
          label: A number constrains neighboring states
    tips:
      - Provide enough information for deduction without required guessing.
    examples:
      - title: Hexcells
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/265890/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original taxonomy adapted from user-selected design discussions; linked
  sources support specific examples, not the whole classification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/point-and-click
---
# Logic, mathematics and combinatorics

id: point-and-click--family-23
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/point-and-click--family-23
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/point-and-click--family-23/

The player applies logical and quantitative constraints to rule out invalid combinations.

## At a glance

![Numerical constraints on neighboring cells](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/adventure-hexcells-02.webp)

[Hexcells](https://store.steampowered.com/app/265890/) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. A number constrains neighboring states

- Provide enough information for deduction without required guessing.

- [Hexcells](https://store.steampowered.com/app/265890/)

## How it works

The player applies logical and quantitative constraints to rule out invalid combinations.

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-23-branch-1"></a>

- Correspondence: match items, people, properties, categories and places under constraints. <a id="family-23-variant-1"></a>
- Ordering: arrange by size, time, rank, property or hidden rule. <a id="family-23-variant-2"></a>
- Patterns: continue sequences, find outliers or infer transformations. <a id="family-23-variant-3"></a>
- Numbers: count, convert numeral systems or satisfy arithmetic conditions. <a id="family-23-variant-4"></a>
- Permutations: solve sliding, ring, rotating-block or linked-position configurations. <a id="family-23-variant-5"></a>
- Boolean logic: use AND, OR, NOT, truth conditions and toggled states. <a id="family-23-variant-6"></a>
- Crossings and allocation: transport incompatible groups or distribute objects under constraints. <a id="family-23-variant-7"></a>
- Optimization: limit moves, resource use or repeated actions. <a id="family-23-variant-8"></a>

## Context and limits

A working classification with 44 families and 355 variants. Families overlap: one puzzle can combine items, dialogue, deduction and a character schedule. Core actions, progression architecture and assistance are separate layers. Sources identify examples from neighboring adventure genres.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original taxonomy adapted from user-selected design discussions; linked sources support specific examples, not the whole classification.

- [Hexcells](https://store.steampowered.com/app/265890/) (id: source-ee038a4e63ad2ca4)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors