Fill a haunted grid with ghosts, vampires and zombies so each edge number matches what you would see through the mirrors.
Undead Mirror Maze drops you into a haunted house where diagonal, two-sided mirrors are scattered across a grid. Every square without a mirror needs a monster, and you have three kinds to choose from: ghosts, vampires and zombies. Numbers around the outside tell you how many monsters you would spot if you looked into the grid from that point.
The twist is that mirrors bend your gaze, and each monster reacts to mirrors in its own way.
Who shows up where
This is the rule the whole puzzle turns on, so it is worth learning well.
- Zombies are always seen, both straight on and in reflections.
- Vampires have no reflection. You only count them on the straight stretch before your line of sight first hits a mirror.
- Ghosts are the opposite. They only show up once the line has reflected at least one time.
- A path can cross one square on two separate legs. If its monster is visible on both passes, add it to the count twice.
Above the grid, you also see how many of each monster the finished board holds.
Getting started
Select a square, then click one of the three monster icons above the grid, or press G, V or Z. The keys 1, 2 and 3 work too. To clear a square, press Backspace or 0. When you are not sure yet, switch to pencil mode with Enter, or right-click a square, and note more than one possibility.
Clicking a clue you have finished greys it out, which helps you focus on the ones still open. The monster totals grey out by themselves once you have placed the right number of that type. Press A to switch between pictures and letters, and C to change how the totals are counted.
Winning moves
Zero clues give a lot away. On a path with a 0, the squares before the first mirror can only hold ghosts, while those reached after a reflection can only hold vampires.
Paths that never meet a mirror are the next easiest, because ghosts can never count there. Trace each line of sight slowly through every bounce, and do not skip squares the path visits twice.
As the board fills, keep checking the totals. When only one kind of monster has any left to place, the remaining empty squares often sort themselves out.
Good to know
This puzzle is called Undead in Simon Tatham’s collection, where Steffen Bauer added it. It is based on David Millar’s Haunted Mirror Maze. You can choose 4x4, 5x5 or 7x7 presets, each with three difficulty settings.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place a monster | Arrow keys to a square, then G, V or Z (or 1, 2, 3) | Click a square, then click a monster at the top or type its letter | Tap a square, then tap a monster at the top |
| Clear a square | Backspace or 0 | Select the square and click the same monster at the top again | Select the square and tap the same monster at the top again |
| Add or remove a pencil mark | Enter to switch to pencil mode, then a letter | Right-click a square, then type a letter or click a monster | Press and hold a square, then tap a monster |
| Grey out a finished clue | — | Left-click the clue | Tap the clue |
| Switch pictures and letters / change the count style | A / C | — | — |
| Undo, redo, new puzzle | U / R / N | Undo move, Redo move and New game buttons | Undo move, Redo move and New game buttons |
Undead Mirror Maze FAQ
Can I play Undead Mirror Maze on a phone or Chromebook?
Yes. It supports mouse, keyboard and touch. On a phone, tap a square and then tap a monster in the row at the top. Press and hold a square to add pencil marks instead.
How do I know the puzzle is solved?
Every empty square must hold one monster, the totals for each type must match the numbers above the grid, and every edge clue must match what is visible along its path. When all three line up, the puzzle is complete.
Which size is best to start with?
The puzzle opens on a 4x4 grid at Normal. If that feels hard, switch to Easy. Presets also include 5x5 and 7x7 at Easy, Normal and Tricky, and Custom lets you set your own.
Can I undo mistakes?
Yes. Undo and redo are available with the buttons or the U and R keys, and N starts a new puzzle. Pencil marks are a good way to avoid mistakes when a square could still be one of two monsters.
