InkFlow started as a solo puzzle: trace one unbroken line through every square on the board, hitting numbered checkpoints in order, on levels that generate endlessly and keep getting harder. It's always been a good way to burn five quiet minutes. Now it's also a good way to settle an argument with a friend about who's actually faster.
InkFlow's new ⚔️ Duel a Friend mode puts two players on the exact same puzzle at the exact same moment, and the first one to fill the board wins.
How a duel actually works
- Create a room. Tap "Duel a Friend" from the InkFlow home screen and hit Create Room -- you'll get a short room code.
- Share the code. Send it to whoever you're racing. They tap "Duel a Friend" too, enter the code, and join instantly.
- Pick a difficulty. As host, you choose the level number, which sets the grid size and how sparse the checkpoints are.
- Ready up and go. Once both players are marked ready, the host starts the match -- a short countdown, then it's live.
- Race to the finish. You'll see a live progress bar for your opponent while you both trace toward filling the entire grid first.
Why it's a fair race, not just an honor system
The puzzle itself is generated on RivalPit's server the moment the match starts, not by either player's device -- so there's no way to end up with a friendlier layout than your opponent. And when someone finishes, the server doesn't just take their word for it: it independently re-checks the entire submitted path against the puzzle's actual rules -- every cell visited exactly once, every step a legal move, every checkpoint hit in the right order -- before declaring a winner. A "win" can't be faked by tampering with the game in your browser.
Everything else that shipped alongside it
Duel mode landed as part of a broader pass on InkFlow:
- Smoother line drawing. The traced line now glides into each new square instead of snapping instantly, so dragging reads as one fluid stroke.
- Fullscreen mode. A single tap expands the board to fill your whole screen -- handy on phones, and for duels where every second counts.
- Hint removed. InkFlow is a puzzle about figuring it out yourself, so the auto-solve Hint button is gone for good -- Undo and Reset are still there if you need to back up.
- A general visual polish pass -- a subtle pulse on the checkpoint you're heading for, smoother buttons, and a cleaner win screen.
How to jump in
Go to rivalpit.com/inkflow on any browser, desktop or mobile. Play solo to warm up on the endless level ladder, or tap "Duel a Friend" straight away and send someone the room code. No download, no account required to try a match.
Frequently asked questions
How does InkFlow's Duel mode work?
One player creates a room and gets a 6-character code; a friend enters that code to join. Once both players are ready, the host starts the match — the server generates one shared puzzle and sends it to both players at the same moment, then it's a race to fill the board first.
Do both players get the same puzzle?
Yes. The puzzle is generated on RivalPit's server, not on either player's device, so both sides are guaranteed to see the exact same grid, checkpoints, and difficulty — no advantage from a friendlier random puzzle.
Can someone fake a win in InkFlow Duel?
No. When a player finishes, the server independently re-checks the full submitted path against the puzzle's rules before declaring a winner, so a win can't be spoofed client-side.
Is InkFlow Duel free?
Yes, InkFlow and its Duel mode are completely free to play in your browser, with no download or account required to try a match.