Paper Games
Dots and Boxes Game Sheets
Ready-made dot grids for the classic boxes game: connect the dots, close a box, claim it with your initial. One pen per player is all you need.
What you can customize
- Dots per side
- Games
Works well in
- Traveler's Notebook Passport
- A6
- Traveler's Notebook Regular
- B6 (JIS)
- A5
- US Half Letter
- B5 (ISO)
- A4
- US Letter
All page sizes, from Passport to A4
Try it in another style
Start from a preset
- Two games per page, US Letter 8×8 dots, two games and name lines. Open in the maker →
- Two games per page, A4 The same sheet on A4. Open in the maker →
- Big board, US Letter One large 12×12 game for a long match. Open in the maker →
- Quick games for kids, A4 Four small 5×5 grids for short rounds. Open in the maker →
Dot grids for every length of game
Choose 4 to 14 dots per side and one to four games per page. Each grid has a line for both players’ names under it. The dots follow the theme colour and print crisp on any printer.
How to play
- Take turns joining two neighbouring dots with a line, across or down.
- Close the fourth side of a box and you claim it: write your initial inside and play again.
- When every box is taken, the player with the most boxes wins.
Strategy
Avoid drawing the third side of a box. Near the end of the game the board splits into chains, and the player who has to open the first chain usually loses.
Free sample PDFs
Print at 100% (actual size). Made with the same engine as the maker, so the spacing is exact.
Frequently asked questions
How many dots should I use?
5×5 dots make a quick game for children; 8×8 is a classic match; 12 to 14 dots per side make a long strategic game.
What happens when you close a box?
Write your initial in it and draw another line. Chains of boxes can be won in one turn.
Can more than two people play?
Yes, but the name lines are for two; three players can share a large board and use three colours.
Related guides
- How to print a booklet double-sidedPrint your notebook PDF at actual size, choose the right duplex setting, and get pages that come out in the right order after folding.
- Calibrate your printer for exact sizesMeasure your printer once so pages print at exactly the right size, find its unprintable margins, and line up the front and back of each sheet.
- Paper sizes, margins and binding allowanceWhich printer paper fits which notebook size, how to set margins and the binding margin, and when to use bleed and creep.
- Pen and paper games: 25 games to play with a printed sheet25 pen and paper games for two players, groups and solo play, from dots and boxes and battleship to hangman and sudoku, with rules, player counts and free printables.
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