Match the food tiles and find a path with no more than two turns
Shanghai Chef is a tile-matching puzzle about connecting pairs of identical food pictures. Finding the same image is only the first step: you also need a valid route between the two tiles.
Clear pairs from the cheerful chef-themed board and watch new spaces open. A route that was blocked a moment ago may become available after another pair disappears.
A matching picture needs a matching route
The connecting line can run straight or change direction. It must bend no more than twice; a route requiring three or more bends does not qualify.
Nearby tiles are not always removable if another tile blocks their path. A distant pair, on the other hand, may connect through the open space around the outside of the arrangement.
How to play
- Choose an available stage and press START. Check the time limit and the number of tiles remaining.
- Find two identical food pictures. Adjacent pairs and accessible edge tiles are useful places to begin looking.
- Select the first tile, then its matching partner. If a valid connecting line exists, the pair disappears.
- Consider whether the route is unobstructed and uses no more than two bends. If a pair cannot connect, clear nearby tiles and look again later.
- Remove valid pairs quickly in succession to build a combo. Spotting the next pair in advance can help keep the sequence going.
- Clear the remaining tiles within the time limit. Read the new arrangement in the next stage and apply the same connection rules.
An empty space can become the next route
Removing a pair reduces the tile count and creates a corridor. After a clear, check whether another matching pair can now connect through the newly opened area.
Compare an easy pair with one that opens a crowded section. The order you choose can change the connections available afterward.
If a particular pair is blocked, do not keep selecting it without changing the board. A different clear may remove the obstacle and make that route useful later.
Read the edges and open corridors
The outside of the layout is a helpful place to begin tracing a path. Imagine a line leaving each tile and count how many direction changes it needs to meet.
Separate the two questions: first identify matching pictures, then check the route between them. This makes it easier to understand why a pair is available or unavailable.
Scan the entire board from time to time. Looking only for nearby matches can cause you to overlook a distant pair with a clear outside connection.
Build a quick sequence of matches
Successive removals within the combo window build a chain. The tutorial explains that reaching a five-combo allows you to remove one chosen tile regardless of the number of bends.
Keep the route rule in mind while moving quickly. Looking for your next pair before finishing the current one can help balance speed with accurate selection.
The changing spaces make the sequence lively: every successful match can reveal another possibility.
Check your time and supporting items
Several supporting items appear before and during a stage. Read their descriptions and check the remaining quantities before choosing one for the current situation.
The video-marked buttons on the preparation screen offer additional items through an ad. Review the displayed conditions when deciding whether to use that option.
Bring together quick picture recognition and careful route reading. Connect the food tiles, make room for the next pair, and work toward a completely cleared Shanghai Chef board.
