How to Play Beauty of Symmetry

Beauty of Symmetry is a logic puzzle game based on vertical symmetry, spatial reasoning, observation and planning.

Your goal is to transform a randomly generated arrangement of balls into a symmetrical pattern using as few moves as possible.

Goal of the Game

The goal is to create symmetry of all the balls with respect to any valid vertical axis of symmetry.

In other words, the balls on one side of the symmetry axis must form a mirror image of the balls on the other side.

Most puzzles can have more than one valid solution, and in many cases more than one symmetry axis can lead to a successful result.

Basic Movement Rules

1. Select a ball by clicking it with the mouse or tapping it on a touchscreen.
2. Blue rings show which balls will move together.
3. The selected ball and all balls positioned below it in the same column move together as one pack.
4. Move your mouse or finger toward the target column. A preview helps you see where the pack can be placed.
5. If you are using a mouse, click to confirm the move. On a touchscreen, lift your finger to confirm it.
6. The moved balls are placed into the available positions of the selected target column.
7. If the target column already contains balls, the moving pack is placed into the available free space in that column.
8. If there are not enough free cells in the target column for the entire moving pack, the move cannot be performed.

Multi-Color Puzzles

In two-color and three-color variants, symmetry must be achieved for all colors around the same vertical axis.

Moves and MaxMoves

Each level has a maximum allowed number of moves, called MaxMoves.

If you exceed the allowed number of moves, you can try the puzzle again by pressing “Repeat”.

Most puzzles have several possible solutions, so you can often reach symmetry in different ways.

Game Variants and Board Sizes

8×8 Board

In the one-color game, the game starts with four balls and the maximum is 36.

The two-color game allows up to 14 white and 14 black balls.

The three-color game allows up to 8 balls of each color: white, black and red.

12×12 Board

In the one-color game, the game starts with thirteen balls and the maximum is 66.

The two-color game allows up to 27 white and 27 black balls.

The three-color game allows up to 19 balls of each color: white, black and red.

After you complete all rounds and handle the highest ball counts, the game continues by randomly generating different numbers of balls for each color.

One-Color Example & Video Tutorial

Image 1: Initial task

Image 2: Selected ball to move

Image 3: Symmetry achieved

Two-Color Example & Video Tutorial

Image 4: Puzzle setup

Image 5: After moving a white ball — symmetry

Three-Color Example & Video Tutorial

Image 6: Initial task

Image 7: First move with a black ball

Image 8: Second move with a white ball

Image 9: Third move — two red balls (symmetry)

MaxMoves & Scoring

In the one-color variant, MaxMoves represents the minimum possible number of moves.

It is calculated exactly up to 20 balls. Beyond that point, the calculation becomes too computationally expensive, so MaxMoves is replaced by a fixed value of 3.

In the two-color and three-color variants, MaxMoves is not guaranteed to be the absolute minimum number of moves required to reach symmetry.

Try to find the best solution you can.

You earn one point for every move.

Multiplayer Variant

Multiplayer allows between 2 and 10 players to compete against each other.

All players receive the same puzzles. The better result is achieved by the player who uses fewer moves.

If players use the same number of moves, the shorter solving time decides the result.

One player creates a room and receives a room code. This code is then shared with the other players, who use it to join the game.

All players must open the same game variant. If they use different variants, they will not be able to play together.

RACE Variant

In RACE mode, you play a fixed number of rounds.

In the one-color version, the RACE consists of 20 rounds.

In the two-color and three-color versions, the RACE consists of 5 rounds.

After successfully completing the required rounds, you can submit your result to the Leaderboard.

Your ranking depends primarily on your total points. Fewer points — meaning fewer moves — is better.

If two players have the same number of points, the player with the shorter total time ranks higher.

If you leave a RACE game, the original puzzle is not preserved in the same way as in the standard “fun” version.

A new puzzle is generated, and penalty points are added depending on the variant you are playing.

This prevents players from stopping the timer, solving the puzzle outside the active game and then returning with the solution.

The contest ends on December 20, 2026, at 8:00 PM CET.

New contest will begin on January 1, 2027, at 8:00 PM CET and end on December 20, 2027, at 8:00 PM CET.

The winner of each variant will be rewarded! For 2026, the prize is €50.

Music in the Game

Many thanks to the composers who allowed free distribution of their music, including Peter D. Kazhe, Rafael Krux, Kevin MacLeod and others whose names I could not identify.

Have fun! 😊