Biscuits and sweets instead of jewels, a long ladder of levels, and the familiar set of special pieces waiting behind every match of four or five. Cookie Crush 3 knows exactly what it is.
By the third instalment of any match three series the mechanics are settled and the interest is in the level design. What this one does is mix goal types often, so you rarely play two boards in a row the same way.
How to play Cookie Crush 3
- Swap two neighbouring cookies to make a line of three or more.
- Matched cookies clear and the ones above drop down.
- Illegal swaps snap back without costing a move.
- Each level has a target and a limit.
- Meet the target within the limit to continue.
The special pieces
- Four in a straight line makes a piece that clears a whole line.
- Five in a row makes the strongest piece in the game.
- An L or a T shape makes a piece that clears the area around it.
- Two specials swapped together do far more than either alone.
Tips and strategy
Where the value is
Almost every point of skill in a match three reduces to two ideas. Match low, so that the falling pieces create work you did not have to do. And spend one move to turn a three into a four whenever the board allows it.
Players who do both finish levels with moves to spare. Players who do neither run out on the same boards every time.
Against a move limit
- Read the goal and count what it needs.
- Divide by the moves you have. That tells you the average clear you need per move.
- If ordinary matches will not average it, stop taking them and hunt for combinations from the first move, not the last.
Against a clock
Different game. Speed matters, cascades matter more, and the correct move is often the one you can see now rather than the best one on the board.
Errors that repeat
- Breaking a cluster of four to take an easy three somewhere else.
- Holding a special piece until the level is over.
- Matching at the top of the board where nothing falls.
- Playing a collection level as though it were a score level.
More games like this
Play our free daily puzzles See all →
Made by us. One a day, the same for everyone, no sign up.
Last updated
Frequently asked questions
How do special cookies work?
Match four in a line for a piece that clears a row or column, five for the strongest piece, or an L or T shape for one that clears the surrounding area.
What is the best single habit in Cookie Crush 3?
Matching near the bottom of the board. Everything above the clear falls into the gap and can form further matches without costing you a move.
Do levels limit moves or time?
Both appear, and they need opposite play. A move limit rewards planning, a clock rewards speed.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes, tap two adjacent cookies to swap them.
Is Cookie Crush 3 free?
Yes. Free in the browser with nothing to download.