Crosscut is a free one-button arcade game with a neon synthwave look. You circle a ring, tap to cut straight across the core and land on the opposite point going the other way, and dodge the blades that sweep the ring. It runs in your browser on phones and computers. There is nothing to install.
How to play
Tap, or press Space or Enter, to cut across the core. You land on the opposite point of the ring and travel the other way.
Watch for the red telegraph wedges. A saw lands in the marked spot a moment later, so cut before it arrives.
Shave past a blade closely to score a CLOSE or a HAIR chain and raise your multiplier.
Grab crystals and the overcharge orb for extra points.
If a run ends, tap again after a moment, or press R, to retry at once.
Rules
Your multiplier climbs through three tiers, x3 HEAT, x6 FRENZY and x9 OVERDRIVE. Each tier changes the colours, the tempo and the music layers.
Reaching x3 arms one shield. It breaks on a lethal hit, then needs about 20 seconds to arm again, and clearing a surge refills it.
Surges are runs of patterns at a tighter beat. The first comes at 20 seconds and the next 22 seconds after each one ends. Clearing one pays a bonus.
Daily mode uses one seed for everyone each UTC day. You can retry as often as you like and your best counts. Endless mode gives each run a random seed.
Every pattern is checked by a solver to be survivable from every start position, so a death is never a forced one.
Your score, XP, level, locker choices and best runs are saved on your device. The daily board takes a display name, with no account.
Tips
Cut early. A blade that is already close is usually too late to dodge.
Look at the next telegraph while you are still dodging the current blade.
Press M to mute, or P or Esc to pause. The game also pauses when you switch tabs.
A worked example: your first cut
The ring starts turning and a red wedge shows where the first blade will land. Tap before it arrives and your spark jumps across the core to the opposite side, moving the other way.
Do that again as the next wedge appears, and squeeze past a blade without touching it to score a CLOSE.
A common mistake
Waiting until a blade is nearly on you. Read the telegraph wedge and cut as soon as you can see where it will land.
How it differs
You never steer. One tap is the whole control, and the timing of each cut decides everything, with a fixed daily pattern you can race ghosts on.
Questions
What is Crosscut?
A free one-tap arcade game where you cut across a ring to dodge blades and chain close calls.
How do you play Crosscut?
Tap, or press Space or Enter, to cut across the core to the opposite point of the ring. Avoid the saws.
Do I need an account?
No. Progress is saved on your device, and the daily board only asks for a display name.
What is the daily seed?
Everyone gets the same blade pattern each UTC day, so scores and ghosts are directly comparable.
What is a ghost?
A replay of a run on the same pattern: your best daily run, the day's top run, a friend's challenge link or your last run.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. One tap is the only control, and it also works with the keyboard on a computer.