- BGG rank
- BGG #20,681
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Blokus Dice Game
- 2–4 players
- 15 min
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- 2019
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- BGG rating
- 4.7
Boxes
1889
Rules assistance for Boxes
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 15 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.6/5
Rules assistant for Boxes
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Boxes is a board game released in 1889 for 2 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Edouard Lucas and its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil and Enclosure.
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About the game
The game, which is known by many names and has been released in many versions, was invented in 1889 by the French mathematician François Edouard Anatole Lucas and first named La Pipopipette. Boxes is a plasticised version of a game we used to call Dots and Dashes. In the paper and pencil version, you draw a grid of dots and then each player must alternately draw dashes joining adjacent vertical or horizontal dots. If you are able to complete a square, you mark it as your own and you must draw another dash. At the end of the game, players achieve long runs of squares. When all squares are claimed, the game ends, and the winner is the player with the most squares. The grid of boxes is 8x9 in size for 72 positions to be captured. Similar to: Squares - but on a larger rectangular board. Honeycomb (which uses a hex board) Squaresville (with double scoring squares and premarked edges)
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Waddingtons
- John Sands Pty Ltd
- MIKA
- Milton Bradley
- (Public Domain)
- MB Spellen
- MB Spiele
- MB Jeux
- The Shanin Group, Inc.
- Hilco Corporation
- VEB Berlinplast
- Cavalcade Games
- Montour Novelty Co.
- Service Kits, Inc.
Questions and answers
Boxes supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Boxes is 15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Boxes for ages 7 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Boxes has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Boxes belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil and Enclosure. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Boxes are: Edouard Lucas. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Boxes as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.