BoxOff and the Great Simplicity of a Solo Wooden Peg Game
Remove pairs of matching colors in rectangular patterns to untangle the interesting solo puzzles on the board of BoxOff.
During my childhood, I remember having a few wooden peg games on hand that were often packed for trips… I don’t know if I knew exactly how to play, yet I loved having them around! When I heard about BoxOff, those memories came back and I was excited to see what this simple set of rules could do on a seemingly simple 8×8 grid. The answer: I keep playing it!
Disclaimer
I received this copy for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest assessment and review. Everything presented here is my own opinion, but in the interest of transparency, I just want to make it clear where this copy came from.
Game Overview
Game Name: BoxOff
Publication Year: 2013
Designer: Steven Meyers
Artist: David McCord
Publisher: NewVenture Games
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
Gameplay is quite simple: Connect rectangles of 2 matching pegs in order to remove them. However, the random setup means that there are many entanglements to undo. It isn’t just a simple process of removing adjacent colors, but seeing the whole puzzle to figure out how to clear the entire board.
First Play
June 3, 2025
Complexity
2
Latest Play
July 12, 2025
Expansions
0
Setup Time
5 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
32
Play Time
10 Minutes
High Score
0
Game Area
12" x 12"
Low Score
26
The Beauty of Simple
It took me very little time to learn how to play, and I liked how the rulebook included a few visual examples to help.
Strategy tips are also included, although I didn’t read through them. I like discovering the winning paths on my own… Until I can’t. Ha! Still, a very nice section to have.
Setup is the most time-intensive part of gameplay, yet the rules acknowledge this and recommend looking at patterns.
An excellent suggestion! I used it as a sort of relaxing moment to count up to 64 and tried to keep an eye out for complex entanglements before I dove in to start playing.
A Starting Puzzle
How lovely! There are a few different versions of the game, but I was quite interested in this large wooden block with wooden pegs. Definitely feels like a quality product!
As I mentioned, placing all of the pegs takes up a fair amount of time at the start. However, I didn’t mind this that much. I had a chance to slow down to examine the patterns.
I think this is a puzzle where you’ll know if you can “see” it or not pretty quickly. Fortunately, it made sense to me!
Rectangles are formed by 2 matching pegs at the corners and a fully empty space in between them. Not too hard!
Working Out Pairs
The concept is simple enough, but this can be quite the challenging puzzle! Here is the same board partway through play. I sometimes started near the middle, but not always.
You’ll likely see some obvious adjacent pairs to remove, yet can you spot of the trickier ones? Often, there are some orders of operation needed to remove the “blocked” pegs.
For example, the green peg in the top left is hemmed in by blue and yellow pegs that have to be removed first.
With so many unique setup combinations, the puzzle feels quite different with every play… Never easy to win, though!
Tangled Forever
Uh-oh! I made poor choices with this puzzle. Looking back at the state of the board, I didn’t make the same decisions.
With full information from the start, this can be a great choice for those times when surprise game moments don’t feel like the right choice. It’s all about untangling rectangles!
I found myself sitting down to play at my solo table, but it was also a fun activity to have at other times.
It kept my mind a little more engaged while I watched TV, or gave me something to think about as I waited for a cooking timer to go off. So glad I have a wooden peg game again!
Abstract, Wooden, and Not Actually “Old”
At least in my case, I previously associated wooden peg games with my childhood and what we’ll just call “the years of old.” Ha! But that’s really not fair, as these sorts of games and puzzles are still very much modern. It reminds me of the time when I didn’t think lightweight solo games could be that good. Wrong! It’s just a case of knowing when to play.
For instance, if I’m in the mood for a deep strategic experience or thematic storytelling experience, a wooden peg game isn’t going to work. Yet if I want to spend my time working on a quick puzzle or keep my mind occupied while I’m only partially watching re-runs of Murder, She Wrote and Columbo, I’m going to be untangling colorful wooden peg rectangles!
That’s not to say that I’m going to suddenly seek out every solo wooden peg game out there, but this was a nice way to appreciate a different kind of game I didn’t give a second look in the past. Thrilled to have had the chance to try this out!
Session Overview
Play Number: 1-32
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
Outcome: 6 Wins & 26 Losses
Keeping the wooden pegs safely secured worked well with the game box lid. I can see swapping over to a travel bag at one point, yet this works well enough for me! I lost a lot at the start as I worked out the best ways to clear the board. My winning percentage now is probably in the 40% range, which still means it takes some skill to clear the board. Always an exciting time when I manage to win! I surprised myself with how much I fell in love with this solo puzzle.
%
30 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
8
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
4
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
9
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
5
+ Pros (Positives)
- Each board setup is different enough to offer up a unique sort of challenge to remove all of the wooden pegs.
- Component quality is excellent with wooden pegs that stay put but are still easy enough to pull out of the board.
- Learning the rules is very easy with the clear rulebook and its visual examples to teach what entanglements look like.
- There is a great deal of excitement when everything works out and the last wooden pegs are removed for a victory.
- Play time can be as quick or slow as desired since there is no pressure to speed through the decisions.
- Seeing the puzzle is important, but doesn’t require extreme concentration, making it fun to play while multitasking.
– Cons (Negatives)
- Setup takes a fair amount of time compared to play time, and the box isn’t tall enough to store a pre-filled board.
- The puzzle is abstract and requires visual processing that may not make this the best choice for every player.
- Storing the wooden pegs after removing them from the board must be done carefully so as not to lose any of them.
- It’s very hard to take back turns, so making suboptimal choices sometimes leads to a guaranteed eventual loss.
Victory Conditions
Clear the Board
- Overall Goal Progress 100%
Goals and Milestones
Win at least 1 game.
Continue the Conversation
What do you like about BoxOff? Are there other solo wooden peg games you particularly enjoy? I wasn’t sure if I might lean into my nostalgia too much, yet this puzzle game is certainly an excellent one of its own accord! The challenge to clear the board is always there, and I look forward to playing some more. I wouldn’t have “pegged” this one as a favorite… Ha ha!
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