FUN XIANGQI GUIDES
How to Solve a Puzzle Challenge
By The Fun Xiangqi Team · Published · 4 min read
Video walkthrough coming soon
Steps
Open the Challenge map
Tap "Challenges" in the tab bar, then open a chapter to see its trail of sets.
Pick a chapter and a set
Chapters 1 and 2 are free to play; chapters 3 through 5 need Fun Pro. Tap a set node, then a puzzle tile, to start solving.
Read the goal and par
Each puzzle opens with its goal, such as "Mate" or "Hold the draw," plus a "Par" move count and a row of progress pips above the board.
Make your move
Tap a piece, then tap where it should land. A correct move fills a pip and the opponent replies automatically; a wrong move springs back with a shake, and the puzzle can then earn two stars at most.
Skip or ask for a hint
The "Skip →" button moves on to the next unsolved puzzle with no penalty. "Hint · −5 coins" shows a move for 5 coins, but caps this set at ★.
Finish the puzzle and the set
The solved screen shows your star rating and move count, with "Next puzzle →" and "Back to set" to continue. Clearing all ten puzzles in a set opens a set-complete screen with your stars, coins, and XP for the run.
Before you start
Puzzle challenges live in the "Challenges" tab. There are five chapters, around 160 puzzles in total, moving from cannon basics through palace mates. The first two chapters are free to play. Chapters 3 through 5 need Fun Pro, and each one only opens once you've earned the previous chapter's boss badge, so clearing a chapter's puzzles matters even before you think about upgrading.
Inside a chapter, puzzles are grouped into sets of ten. Every puzzle has a goal, mate, win material, hold the draw, or find the only correct move, plus a par: the most moves a full three-star solve should take.
Tips
Solve a puzzle on your first try, with no wrong moves, in par moves or fewer and with no hint, to earn all three stars. A solve after a wrong move, or slower than par, still counts, just at two stars, and using a hint anywhere in a set of ten drags that whole run down to one star, even if the other nine puzzles were clean. If a position is hard to read, you can switch pieces from Chinese characters to symbols with "Piece labels" in your profile settings; it never affects scoring.
A wrong guess costs you the third star. The piece slides back and the position stays exactly as it was, so you can keep going, but read the position before you commit if you're chasing three stars. "Skip →" is free if you'd rather come back later.
If something goes wrong
A wrong move springs back and you can try again right away; you can still solve the puzzle, just for fewer stars. If a puzzle won't load, you'll see a message saying so; back out and reopen it from the set grid. If your connection drops while a move is being checked, a retry prompt appears instead of losing your attempt, tap it once you're back online.
Quick questions
Does a wrong move cost me anything? Only the third star. The piece returns to its point, the position is unchanged, and you can keep trying as many times as you like; solving after a wrong move earns two stars.
What does using a hint do to my score? It shows you the move, but it also caps that puzzle at one star, and because a set's rating is its weakest puzzle, one hint anywhere in a run of ten caps the whole set.
Are all the puzzle chapters free? The first two are. The rest need Fun Pro and unlock one chapter at a time as you clear each boss.
What do I get for finishing a set? A set-complete screen with your star rating for that run, the coins and XP you earned, and a link into the next set or that chapter's boss battle.
Puzzle challenges are a free way to sharpen your tactics with no risk to your rating. Head back to Fun Xiangqi to start solving, or try a game against the Classic engine and your daily quests next.