Regarding the train tracks, I found it helpful to build small sections and aim to connect them. That way the game will still throw you those quests with low completion thresholds, giving you a steady stream of easy early game tiles. With the right placements, it's possible to weave a track back and forth across a smaller area rather than having it divide your map.

A big one for me was planning for mixed terrain types on tiles. As the game progresses, you will find tiles that just don't match up perfectly because of their mixed terrain. Leaving areas where you can join different types of terrain with a single placement will be really helpful in going for those high scores!

Try not to box yourself in with too many different terrain types centering on a single spot or two spots - it's really hard to draw a tile that will fit a spot that has four different terrain types that surround it, for example. And there are some types of mixed terrain that the game just doesn't generate!

This actually help me earlier.. only reached 12k-16k so far last week but today I almost hit 30k

I can definitetly attest to this sound advice. I'm a new player and on my second game got a 30k score basically using the same methods (before I read the guide). I think I could have gotten more easily if I hadn't closed my big forest and field, I soon had big quests for those types which I could no longer complete. My advice would be if you have a really big forest or field, hang onto it unless you are getting really low on tiles, chances are that a big quest or two will pop up and you'll not have to do much more to complete them!

@M0butu Thanks for detailed review! I have to admit a few things should be refactored in this guide, but I probably won't find the time to do so.

I wrote this thread a few weeks after launch. Nearly no one had 100k+ at this point. There are better strategies out there, surely.

But this one helped me to get at least more than 10-15k. A solid 30k+ is almost guarenteed here, but it's not a good strat to go towards 100k

Sadly I must disagree on one point:
I do NOT enlarge a big group further unless there is an open quest. Instead I build several smaller sets or fill in gaps, just in case a quest drops in with a small target number. I absolutely DO NOT build them to connect them later. On the contrary, it's on the other side of the map!

If you have a quest, concentrate on them if your tile fits. Nothing is more detrimental than tugging open quests along.

Avoid octopus tentacle rivers or railroad, rather build multiple short lines and keep it compact.
Don't close rails or rivers if it's not a perfect match. Simply place it somewhere else.

If you build clusters, have always a one-, two-, three-, and maybe even foursided gap of your clusteritem open. This way you can manage all kinds of tiles the game throws at you.

P.S.: I have 37k highscore and only Puzzler VII achievement missing. My current problem is perfecting rivers and trains.

I have a tip for perfects: focus on field placement. Most tiles have 2-3 fields so you can make a gap with 3-5 tiles' fields encircling an empty space (emphasis on 3). Whenever you get a tile with 3 fields look for a gap to fit into. Secondly, the mission "PUZZLER" in the corner is good to have since you can get definitive confirmation that all sides are matching each time you lay a piece.

@Sweet Blue I usually go for one big river/ocean. But that sometimes this seems to not be the best solution in late game...

I had my own strategy in mind. Then I checked yours to see if it matched! Spot on! and I learned a few things too. Thanks. What's your advice for rivers? Start a few different ones or try to make an ocean?

oh ok so just what makes "sense"? got it, wonderful game glad i got it.

@Thanatos... Since it's all rng, it's hard to find general statements. I alwayss look what i got and where it fits best without breaking the perfect streak. But feel free to find more rules that work :)