Gridlock IQ cover art

Gridlock IQ

Traffic Puzzle by picatteam, released October 26, 2026. Free in your browser.

Open on itch.io

Gridlock IQ is a free traffic puzzle released on itch.io on October 26, 2026. Cars from four roads lock a junction into a perfect deadlock, and you choose exactly which cars back up. Pick right and the jam clears lane by lane; pick wrong and the crossing piles up in slow motion. Every jam is generated fresh and proven solvable, across 12 city districts.

What kind of game is Gridlock IQ?

You never drive in Gridlock IQ. Each round shows a junction where every car is blocked by another one, and tells you how many cars must reverse. The puzzle is reading the knot: which cars are blocking the most, and which can actually move back.

Rules

  • Each round tells you how many cars to back up.
  • Tap a car to see whether it is blocked ahead and clear behind.
  • A car with another car right behind it cannot reverse.
  • Win 3 rounds in a row on the first try to unlock the next district.
  • Stuck? You can watch the answer played out, then take on a fresh jam.

What's in the game

FeatureDetails
PuzzlesEndless, generated fresh and proven solvable
Districts12, from a morning old town to a neon city at midnight
Biggest jamsUp to 34 cars, buses, tankers and trucks
RewardsWIN currency for the Garage and street corners
Languages11

It runs on desktop and mobile, in landscape or portrait.

Tips

  • Start with cars that have open road behind them; they are the only ones that can move.
  • Look for the car blocking the most others before you spend a move.
  • Use the tap check before committing. A wrong pick costs the streak, not just the round.

Gridlock IQ screenshots

Gridlock IQ running in the browser, screen 1 captured by FreshPlay on October 26, 2026
Our capture: first screen after loading
Gridlock IQ running in the browser, screen 2 captured by FreshPlay on October 26, 2026
Our capture: after the first click
Gridlock IQ screenshot 1 from the developer
Developer screenshot 1
Gridlock IQ screenshot 2 from the developer
Developer screenshot 2
Gridlock IQ screenshot 3 from the developer
Developer screenshot 3

Gridlock IQ FAQ

Is Gridlock IQ free?

Yes. It is free and plays in your browser on this page.

Does every jam have a solution?

Yes. Every jam is generated fresh and proven solvable.

How do I unlock new districts?

Win 3 rounds in a row on the first try.

Can I play on a phone?

Yes, on desktop or mobile, in landscape or portrait.

What is WIN for?

WIN is earned from jams you solve yourself and is spent in the Garage on vehicles that join the traffic.

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Made Gridlock IQ?

Add this badge to your itch.io page or README so players can find the page, the controls table and the FAQ.

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