Game Is Hard Level 173: Rotating Arrow Puzzle Solution

App updates occasionally rearrange puzzle order. If this level 173 guide doesn’t match what you’re seeing, no problem! Just check our All Levels page to locate your exact puzzle using its visual layout.

You’re using the balls themselves as movable barriers—each one becomes a temporary wall for the others.

Level Overview

What Makes This Puzzle Tricky

This level feels like a nostalgic ice-slide challenge straight out of classic RPGs (think Pokémon gym puzzles). Swipe once, and the ball keeps sliding until it hits something solid—but here, there are almost no fixed walls. Swiping without planning sends your balls flying off-screen, forcing a restart. What makes it tricky is that the game never explicitly tells you the balls are solid objects you can use as stops.

Your Goal

Your mission is literally “send them home.” That means guiding each colored ball—Green, Blue, and Red/Orange—into its matching colored square box. But alignment is off, and with nearly zero static boundaries, you’ll need to get creative with positioning.

Key Mechanics:

Swipe Physics: Objects glide continuously until blocked.
Object Collision: Balls stop when they bump into other balls.
Sequencing: Order is critical. Move one ball too early, and the rest lose their anchor points. It’s less about aiming—and more about strategic parking.

What Appears on Your Screen

The interface is stark and minimal, set against deep black.

Top Center: A simple directive reads " send them home. "
Left Side: Two stacked target boxes—Blue Box above, Green Box below.
Right Side: A lone Red (or Orange) Box sits higher up, near a subtle vertical white line along the far-right edge—your only permanent wall.
The Balls: Three loose balls—Green, Blue, and Red/Orange—sit scattered across the open center.
The Void: Wide, empty space separates each ball from its destination. Everything feels slick and unstable—no gridlines, just endless darkness ready to swallow missteps.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The Trap

Most players assume they can tackle each color independently. They often rush the Red ball first since it’s nearest to the right wall—or try lining up Blue directly under its box. That backfires: without a physical stopper, balls overshoot targets or wedge themselves in unreachable corners.

First Instincts That Fail

Swiping Red first: Sending Red right pins it to the wall—great. But swiping it up prematurely leaves no brake for Blue’s next move.
Tilting: This isn’t a tilt-based level—don’t shake your device.
Dragging: These balls don’t respond to slow drags. It’s all about precise, decisive swipes.

Player Reactions

I wasted several minutes sending balls flying off-screen, watching the level reset again and again. I kept wondering, “Where’s the wall beneath the Blue box?!” Then it clicked: I need to make my own wall.

Step-by-Step Solution

Preparing the Move

Stop guessing. Pause and observe spacing. Your goal is to build a controlled collision zone on the right side—using balls as dynamic roadblocks.

Executing the Solution

Stick to this exact sequence. One mistimed swipe breaks the chain—restart if needed.

Swipe the Green Ball RIGHT. It will slide all the way to the right and hit the vertical white line/wall.
It will slide all the way to the right and hit the vertical white line/wall.
Swipe the Blue Ball DOWN. It will slide down and stop exactly on top of the Green ball. You are using Green as a brake.
It will slide down and stop exactly on top of the Green ball. You are using Green as a brake.
Swipe the Red Ball RIGHT. It hits the right wall.
It hits the right wall.
Swipe the Red Ball UP. Now aligned, it slides straight up into the Red Box . One down.
Now aligned, it slides straight up into the Red Box . One down.
Swipe the Blue Ball LEFT. Since it is sitting on the Green ball, it is now perfectly aligned with the Blue Box . Swipe left and it goes home.
Since it is sitting on the Green ball, it is now perfectly aligned with the Blue Box . Swipe left and it goes home.
Swipe the Green Ball LEFT. With Blue out of the way, Green is now free to slide left directly into the Green Box .
With Blue out of the way, Green is now free to slide left directly into the Green Box .

If It Did Not Work

Ball went off-screen? You swiped in the wrong direction or broke the sequence. The level usually resets automatically—if not, tap the refresh button.
Red ball stuck? Make sure you swipe Red Right before swiping it Up—it needs that wall alignment to lock in place.

Why This Solution Works

This is a stripped-down sliding block puzzle at its core. Its underlying principle is dependency: success hinges on moving pieces in a specific cause-and-effect chain.

Unlike other Game is hard levels where clues hide in text or design, this one teaches pure mechanical reasoning. You can’t solve Blue without Green’s help—you must temporarily reposition one piece to enable another’s path. It fights your instinct for instant results: sometimes, the fastest way home is to park somewhere else first.

Bonus Tip

For speedruns or repeat attempts:

Green Right.
Blue Down.
Red Right -> Up.
Blue Left.
Green Left. Focus entirely on direction—the speed of your swipe doesn’t affect outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move the boxes instead of the balls? No. In this level, boxes are fixed targets—only the round balls respond to swipes.

Does the order of Red, Blue, Green matter for the final swipes? Yes. Getting Red settled first avoids accidental displacement. While alternate sequences might work in theory, sticking to the proven order eliminates risk.

Why does my Blue ball fly off the bottom? You skipped moving Green to the right. That ball serves as Blue’s floor—without it, there’s nothing to stop the downward slide.

Is this level bugged? Not at all—it follows strict physics. If a ball doesn’t stop, it simply means nothing was there to halt it.