🏮 Lantern Ledger
Swap numbered lanterns across three shelves until every row reaches the same exact brightness target.
Play: The interactive game loads on this page in a modern JavaScript-enabled browser. The complete guide remains readable before it loads.
Controls
Desktop
Click two lanterns on different shelves; arrows move, Enter selects, Esc cancels, P pauses and R restarts
Mobile
Tap one lantern, then tap a lantern on another shelf to swap their positions
What is distinct here
Lantern Ledger turns conservation of totals into a visual swap puzzle. Because every move exchanges lanterns across shelves, players can reason about the exact brightness transferred instead of searching an arbitrary permutation.
Rules
- Each ledger contains three shelves with four numbered lanterns apiece and one shared target total.
- Select a lantern, then select one on a different shelf to swap them. Lanterns on the same shelf cannot be exchanged because their total would not change.
- A contract is complete only when all three shelf sums equal the target at the same time.
- Balance three independently scrambled ledgers. Fewer swaps and less time earn a higher score stored only in this browser.
Strategy tips
- Compare each shelf with the target first: a row that is four too high must trade away four net brightness.
- Pair an over-target shelf with an under-target shelf; the difference between the two swapped lanterns is the amount transferred.
- Leave a shelf alone once it reaches the target and solve the remaining two as a single exchange problem.
What we tested
Every contract starts balanced and is scrambled only through reversible cross-shelf swaps, preserving solvability. QA verifies target sums, invalid same-shelf choices, move counts, three ledgers, keyboard selection, touch and pause.
Frequently asked questions
Is every Lantern Ledger contract solvable?
Yes. Each contract begins with three balanced shelves and is scrambled only by valid cross-shelf swaps, so reversing a sequence of swaps always provides a solution.
Why can I not swap two lanterns on the same shelf?
Changing their order would leave that shelf total unchanged. The game keeps the first choice active on the newly selected lantern so you can choose a different shelf.
Does Lantern Ledger upload my score or puzzle choices?
No. Only the best score is stored locally in this browser, and no account or personal information is required.
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