Hook Halyard

How to play Hook Halyard

Touch controls: One tap anywhere throws the hook, a second tap releases it and a tap from the platform jumps off; the tap does not need a position because the hook always picks the nearest anchor ahead, so the whole game works with one thumb on a phone.

Keyboard controls: Space or the up arrow throws and releases the hook, the down arrow releases only, the left and right arrows or A and D lean the climber while flying, P or Escape pauses, R restarts and M toggles sound.

Screen: This game works best in landscape orientation.

About Hook Halyard

Hook Halyard is a crossing game with three tries and one long gap. The climber stands on the near platform with a rope and a hook and nothing else: every metre forward has to be earned by swinging. A tap throws the hook at the nearest anchor within reach, the rope goes tight at the length it had when it caught, and gravity does the rest.

The rope carries speed through the bottom of the arc, and letting go keeps that speed, so a good swing is worth more than a good throw. The chasm between the platforms is the only enemy: drop below the dashes and one of the three tries is gone. Each landing widens the gap and adds another anchor, so the crossing that starts easy finishes long.