Blockade
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The red car speeds towards the city center. You have six police cars and only one right move to block every street.
What it's about
You're the police chief: block the fleeing car
RoadBlock is the solitaire puzzle by Raf Peeters for SmartGames. A fugitive in a stolen red sports car speeds towards the city center: he's armed and has no intention of stopping. You are the chief inspector and must coordinate the patrols to block all his escape routes.
It's a placement puzzle. Arrange the red car and buildings as shown on the challenge card — those pieces remain fixed. Then place all 6 police cars on the board, rotating them as needed, until the red car has no free road horizontally or vertically. The trick: you must place all 6, even those that seem useless.
Eighty challenges of increasing difficulty, from 7 years old up to expert level. In RoadBlock there are no dice or luck: only logic, planning, and spatial vision. Each challenge has only one solution, and the compact box makes it perfect to take anywhere.
The real puzzle isn't blocking the car: it's fitting all 6 police cars on the board. Even those that "aren't needed" have to find a spot — and that's where you get stuck.
RoadBlock's secret in one line
That moment when the last patrol car snaps into place and the red car is trapped with no way out. Case closed. Pure satisfaction.
From the game experience
RoadBlock
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, official SmartGames materials, and play sessionsOn the board
What you put on the field for each challenge
The Red Car
The fleeing thief. You position it as per the card, and it remains fixed: your task is to block all its escape routes.
6 Police Cars
The pieces you control. You arrange and rotate them on the board to block roads — and you must place all six.
4 Buildings
Fixed city obstacles. They change the map of each challenge and define where police cars can fit.
Shapes and Rotations
Each police car has a different shape. Finding the correct orientation for all of them is the core of the puzzle.
Ten minutes of silence, the last police car closes the gap, and the thief is trapped. It always happens with RoadBlock.
🧩
Components5 elements · 11 puzzle pieces
A five-step challenge
What happens when you play
Not the rules. The experience.
Calling all units
Open the booklet and choose one of the 80 challenges. The first few are for getting the hang of it, the harder ones if you fancy a real head-scratcher. The hunt begins.
On-site inspection: the crime scene
You place the red car and buildings exactly as shown on the card. Those pieces are now fixed. The city map is defined — and the thief is there, stationary, waiting to escape.
Where can he escape?
You study the clear roads: horizontal, vertical, every gap is a possible escape. You start placing the first patrol cars — and realize that closing one exit opens another elsewhere.
The trap of the six patrol cars
You've blocked the car, but you have patrol cars left over and nowhere to put them. All six must be placed. You rethink the entire scheme — and that's where the real challenge begins.
Case closed
The last patrol car snaps into place: all six on the board, the red car with no way out. Arrested. A moment of satisfaction — and your eye already on the next challenge.
How to play
Four steps for every challenge
You learn in a minute and play for hours. No rules to remember: just logic, observation, and a good dose of cunning.
From the 80 available, from easy to expert level. Each is a unique case with only one correct solution.
Place the red car and buildings as shown on the challenge card. From that moment, they remain fixed.
Arrange and rotate the patrol cars on the board. You must place all six, even those that don't seem necessary.
The challenge is solved when the red car has no clear paths, neither horizontally nor vertically.
Why it works so well
Six things that make it special
All six, always
The twist that makes RoadBlock devilish: it's not enough to block the car, you have to place all six patrol cars on the board. The extra one is often the piece that makes you start over.
80 progressive challenges
It starts easy and reaches expert levels. The curve accompanies both those starting at 7 and adults looking for a serious puzzle.
Logic and spatial vision
Concentration, planning, problem-solving: each challenge trains the mind to read space and anticipate the thief's moves.
Detailed police theme
Night city, patrol cars with flashing lights, and a red car to track down. A chase atmosphere that makes every challenge a small case to solve.
One solution, zero luck
No dice, no cards, no chance. Each challenge has its unique solution and depends only on you. When you win, you know you did it with your mind.
Designed by Raf Peeters, travel-friendly
A classic SmartGames designed by the renowned author, in a compact box with all pieces staying in place. Ideal from age 7 and perfect for travel.
How to solve it
A clear objective, a single solution
Each challenge has a unique correct arrangement. The beauty — and difficulty — is finding the setup that blocks every escape route using all the patrol cars.
Case closed
- All 6 patrol cars are placed on the board
- The red car has no clear paths horizontally or vertically
- The thief is trapped: challenge passed
When he slips away
- A gap remains open and the red car escapes
- A patrol car is left over with no space to place it
- No problem: rethink the arrangement and start over
RoadBlock is one of those puzzles you start "for five minutes" and close an hour later, with the satisfaction of having closed the case. Quick to learn, hard to put down.
Frequently Asked Questions
RoadBlock FAQs
Can a solo player puzzle really be fun?
Yes, and that's precisely its strength. RoadBlock is designed for solo play: you play at your own pace, without waiting for anyone and without explaining rules. The satisfaction of solving a difficult case is all yours. It's the classic game you pull out when you want to switch off and focus on something just for you.
Recommended from age 7: isn't it too childish for an adult?
No. The minimum age only indicates when one can start to understand it, not its limits. The first levels are simple, but the expert challenges can stump anyone, adults included. It's a puzzle that grows with you: easy to pick up, but far from easy to master.
Once all 80 challenges are done, will it gather dust?
The advanced challenges are tough, and you're unlikely to solve them all on the first try. Many players revisit them after a while, once the solution isn't fresh in memory. It's more of a companion to be pulled out often — while traveling or during downtime — than a "one and done" game.
How difficult are the challenges?
They range from easy, almost immediate, to expert, requiring reasoning and several attempts. The requirement to place all six patrol cars significantly raises the bar in the higher challenges. The curve is gradual: you grow with the game, and each level prepares you for the next.
Do I need to know English to play?
No. The challenges are visual diagrams: you look at the pattern, place the pieces, and play. There's no text to read during the game, so language is not a barrier.
Is it good for travel?
It's one of its best features. The box is compact, and the pieces store securely in the board, so you can play it on a train, plane, or at a restaurant while waiting. A single challenge takes only a few minutes: ideal for filling downtime.
RoadBlock is a solo puzzle board game for 1 player (age 7+), designed by Raf Peeters and published by SmartGames. Core mechanic: placement puzzle with rotating pieces. The player arranges the thief's red car and buildings as indicated on the card, then places all 6 police patrol cars on the board so that the red car cannot escape horizontally or vertically. Includes 80 challenges of increasing difficulty, from easy to expert level, with solutions. Trains logic, concentration, planning, problem-solving, and spatial vision. No luck, no dice: only reasoning, with a single solution per challenge. Police theme, compact and ideal for travel. Available on FroGames.it.
Frequently Asked Questions
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