Border Run: Strategy for Crossing Land Borders in Fewer Steps
Border Run asks you to travel from one country to another by crossing only land borders, in as few hops as possible. It is a shortest-path puzzle, the same idea behind route planning in maps and networks.
Think in hubs
Some countries touch many others, so they act like airports in a network. In this game Russia and China each share a border with 14 countries, and Germany has 9. Routing through a hub nearly always saves steps compared with winding through small countries.
Know the choke points
- Panama is the only land link between North and South America.
- Egypt and Israel connect Africa to Asia.
- Turkey, Russia and Kazakhstan link Europe and Asia.
- Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan link the Middle East to South Asia.
A method that works
- Work out which continent each country is on. If they differ, you must pass through a choke point.
- Plan from both ends. The middle of your route is usually a hub.
- Check your par. The par is the fewest possible hops, so if you are over it, try a different hub.
Islands are not in the game
Countries without a land border (such as Japan, Australia or Madagascar) are left out. Countries that only touch at a single point also do not count as neighbours.
Scoring
Finish on par for 10 points. Each extra hop costs 2 points, down to a minimum of 1. The answer screen shows one shortest route.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a border?
Two countries must share a land boundary on the map data used (Natural Earth). Some borders are disputed, and the game follows that dataset.
Can I type instead of tapping?
Yes. Use the box under the map to type a neighbouring country, which is useful for small countries.
Keep learning
Related guides: Neighbour Rush, Mystery Country, Outline. Or browse all game guides and the country pages.