Basic rules
Teams alternate turns, whether the answer is right or wrong. An unsuccessful question is replaced, keeping the board fresh.
THE TEACHER GUIDE
Classroom revision.
With a competitive edge.
HexConnect is a teacher-led, two-team browser game for secondary classrooms. Teams answer letter clues to claim hexagons and connect opposite edges of a board. It combines quick concept recall with route-building and blocking.
No account, pupil devices or installation needed. Open the game on a computer, share it on a classroom display or interactive whiteboard, and let the teams discuss their answers aloud.
From subject to first question
- Choose your deck. Pick a subject, qualification level where available and a 5 by 5, 6 by 6 or 7 by 7 board.
- Set up two teams. Name them, choose different colours and use the random starting-team picker.
- Choose a letter and answer. A team selects a hexagon and has 30 seconds. The host types the answer and confirms whether to award the tile.
- Make a connection. Team 1 connects left to right; Team 2 connects top to bottom. Only shared-edge neighbours count. Block the other team's route as you build your own.
Casino rules
Answer or pass the question to the opposition. They can accept or decline. A correct accepted challenge wins the tile; a wrong answer locks it for two completed turns. No money or purchases are involved.
You stay in control
The checker offers a verdict, but only the host can award a tile. Undo restores the previous turn, including ownership and question changes.
GCSE, A-level and secondary-school revision
There are 5,420 curriculum questions across 18 subjects. GCSE banks have 200 questions each; available A-level banks contain 60, 100 or 200. RSE has 200 non-exam secondary-school questions.
- Computer Science
- Maths
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- English
- Geography
- History
- Classics (Literature)
- Art
- Design & Technology
- Food Preparation & Nutrition
- Music
- Drama
- Business
- PE
- Psychology
- RSE
Food is GCSE-only; RSE is non-exam secondary content. Other subjects include GCSE and A-level banks. Questions use plain UK English, with editorial reading targets of roughly Year 9 at GCSE and age 16 at A level, while retaining essential subject vocabulary.
Recall practice, not a complete course. Questions are original shared-topic clues informed by published specifications and guidance. Choosing an exam board changes the references, not the questions. Banks are not tier-filtered or exhaustive specification mappings. English, History and Classics use broad concepts rather than selected texts or periods. Preview content against your teaching plan.
Recreational quizzes for a change of pace
Choose General knowledge for 100 mixed clues on places, nature, sport, books, music and everyday life, or Movies for 100 comically reframed film plots. The movie deck mixes familiar modern live-action and animated films with a handful of classic Christmas favourites. Leading "A", "An" and "The" are ignored when choosing a film's tile letter.
In December, both recreational decks automatically use green and red teams, drifting snow and gentle snow build-up on the board. The device's local date is checked when opening team setup; the theme stays fixed for that match. Snow can be switched off, and high contrast retains its accessible palette. Curriculum games are not seasonally themed. There is no separate Christmas category. These decks are entertainment, not curriculum resources: preview clues and check film age ratings for your class.
Teacher FAQs
Do pupils need an account or a phone?
No. The teacher runs one browser window and enters the teams' spoken answers. There is no registration or pupil-device requirement.
Can I use HexConnect on an interactive whiteboard?
Yes. The game is designed for desktop and classroom displays, with a recommended minimum of 1024 by 768. Full-screen and high-contrast controls are available. The game scales to fit without scrolling; phones are not its target display.
Is it suitable for form time?
The smaller 5 by 5 board is intended for quicker rounds, including a film quiz or subject recap. There is no guaranteed match length: discussion and route choices affect timing. No Weekly News deck is currently included.
What accessibility options are available?
Keyboard operation, labelled controls, high contrast, full screen and separate Sound and Music switches are included. Reduced-motion preferences are respected. Snow is non-interactive, becomes still caps under reduced motion and is hidden in high contrast. Team numbers and connection directions provide cues beyond colour.
Will the same questions keep appearing?
A browser-local shuffled deck uses unused questions before reshuffling. History is separate for each subject and level, device/browser profile and site address. Clearing browser site data resets it.
Can I save an unfinished match?
No. Refreshing or closing the page loses the match. Remembered question history is not a match save.
Who made HexConnect?
HexConnect is an A Darke Matter creation, 2026. Creation and audio credits and curriculum references are available through the game's Credits & info dialog. It is not endorsed by an exam board or affiliated with the TV show.
Ready to make a connection?
Go straight to subject selection. No extra introduction or sign-up.
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