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A legal match has two separate tests
Every Number Match move on Veyra Play passes through two questions in order: do the values qualify, and can the cells connect on the current board? A pair is legal only when both answers are yes.
That separation is useful while solving. It lets you distinguish a pair that is mathematically compatible but spatially blocked from a pair that is ready to remove now.
First test: do the values qualify?
There are two value relationships that can create a candidate pair.
Equal values
Two active cells qualify when they show the same number. A 7 can match another 7, for example.
Values that add up to 10
Two active cells also qualify when their values total 10. The basic complement families are 1 with 9, 2 with 8, 3 with 7 and 4 with 6. The pair 5 with 5 also totals 10, but it already qualifies through equality as well.
Passing the value test does not make the move legal by itself. The connection still has to be open.
Second test: can the cells connect?
Veyra Play Number Match recognizes four connection families on the current logical board:
- horizontal;
- vertical;
- diagonal;
- linear continuity from the end of one row into the beginning of the next.
The last case follows the flattened logical order of the board. It is not an arbitrary bent path: the cells must still be connected by an uninterrupted sequence with no active number between them.
Horizontal connections
Two qualifying values in the same row can match when every position between them is free of active numbers.
Removed cells count as holes, so they are transparent. If an active cell sits between the endpoints, the horizontal route is blocked.
Vertical connections
Two qualifying values in the same column can match when the positions between them contain no active number.
Because fully empty rows can collapse, two cells that were not vertically aligned earlier can become aligned later. Match legality is always evaluated against the board as it exists now.
Diagonal connections
Two qualifying cells can connect diagonally when their row and column offsets form a straight diagonal and no active number blocks the cells between them.
A visual diagonal is therefore not enough on its own. The route must be straight and clear.
End-of-row to start-of-next-row connections
The logical sequence continues after the ninth column. That means a value near the end of one row can connect to a value near the beginning of the following row when no active number lies between them in logical board order.
This is best understood as row-wrap continuity, not as permission to turn a corner anywhere on the board. Number Match does not allow arbitrary bent routes.
Holes do not block a path
When a pair is removed, its cells become inactive holes. Those holes remain visible positions inside a partially occupied row, but they are transparent when a later connection is checked.
This is why an apparently blocked candidate pair can become legal after another pair is removed. The values did not change; the path did.
The board is re-evaluated after every change
A successful match can do more than create two holes. If it empties a whole row, that row collapses and the rows below shift upward. The new layout can change horizontal, vertical, diagonal and row-wrap relationships at once.
For practical solving, treat every accepted match as a reason to scan the board again instead of relying on the geometry you saw one move earlier.
A quick legality checklist
Before committing to a pair, verify:
- both cells are still active;
- the values are equal or add up to 10;
- the cells lie on one of the legal connection families;
- no active number blocks the straight or row-wrap path;
- you are judging the current board after any previous row collapse.
If any one of those conditions fails, the pair is not legal yet.
FAQ
Can two matching values connect through empty cells?
Yes. Holes left by removed numbers are transparent for connection checks. Active numbers are what block a legal path.
Does Number Match allow L-shaped or multi-turn paths?
No. The Veyra Play rule contract uses straight horizontal, vertical and diagonal connections plus logical end-of-row to start-of-next-row continuity. It does not allow arbitrary bent paths.
Can a blocked pair become legal later?
Yes. Removing active blockers or collapsing a fully empty row can change the geometry so a previously blocked candidate pair becomes legal.