This is in essence a Sokoban clone, meaning that every block and you occupy a space and to occupy that spot, you will have to push another block away.

This guide will summarize what each stage tries to teach you, when you will be able to reach certain achievements and hints of each stage.


Similar to other Sokoban games, finding the solution begins in reverse:

• What is the win condition?
  
• How do you reach the win condition?
  
• What can't you do?
  
• Are there odd level design quirks in the level?

Patrick's Parabox is generally very generous and often allows multiple solutions to a problem. Most of the levels are designed for its purpose, so if a room is not square, it probably has a reason.

Take your time, take hints at will, come back to levels you did not solved whenever you feel comfortable. Clearing up your mind and questioning your steps is an important step in solving these levels. You will sometimes get too focused on a singular idea, blinding you from the solution.

First we cover some movement basics.

The first steps are the most important!

• Gentle Nudge: Just try it out yourself
  
• Bigger Nudge: To solve the level, all outlined squares have to be filled

• Gentle Nudge: Everything pushed into a corner cannot be recovered

• Gentle Nudge: To move an object you have to get behind it
  
• Gentle Nudge: What directions can you move the orange box initially? What directions does it have to move?
  
• Bigger Nudge: There's a large area with three squares carved out, why is that?

Now you will get a first taste of what this game is about. You get a blue parabox. Try it out, what does it do, where can you do with it?

• Gentle Nudge: The rules have not changed. Boxes will be pushed when hitting a wall.
  
• Specific Nudge: If you always move towards new squares, you will automatically win

With a classic Sokoban game, there would be no solution to this level.

• Gentle Nudge: Review the rules: When do you enter a parabox?
  
• Bigger Nudge: Which part of the win conditions will you always meet first? Location of you or the box?

This is an excellent level to teach you about thinking the spaces to be occupied and when you will enter and exit paraboxes.

• Gentle Nudge: You want to push the blue parabox in such a way that it doesn't get stuck.
  
• Gentle Nudge: From which sides can you enter the blue parabox? Where then can you exit it?
  
• Bigger Nudge: Getting the blue parabox the first time to the right should give you an idea how to solve the rest.

Take note of what happens when you exit a parabox. This is a trick you will need very often in the future.

• Gentle Nudge: Review the rules. What's stuck in a corner cannot be recovered.
  
• Bigger Nudge: What happens when you do not move anything and exit the blue parabox to the right?
  
• Specific Nudge: Where does the blue parabox and the regular yellow box have to be?

This is the first time a regular box has to be placed inside a parabox.

• Gentle Nudge: Can you move the blue parabox? What does that mean for the solution?
  
• Gentle Nudge: How does the yellow box enter? When can it be pushed again?
  
• Specific Nudge: The yellow box enters in one side, you may enter from another.

It's now expected to predict some behaviour.

• Gentle Nudge: As it stands, the blue parabox is stuck. So, what can you move?
  
• Gentle Nudge: There is a lot of space inside the blue parabox.
  
• Bigger Nudge: You will not have to exit the blue parabox once you've entered
  
• Specific Nudge: What happens with objects when they exit the parabox? Where does that leave the yellow box?
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• There is no diagonal movement.
  
• To move an object you have to get behind it.
  
• Any square occupied by a box currently cannot be occupied by something else
  
• An object tucked into a corner seems to be irredeemably lost
  
• Thinking about where an object will go and what moves have to be done is integral to solving the puzzles.
  
• A parabox cannot be pushed from within itself.
  
• As long as a parabox is blocked by another wall, you and other objects can enter it.
  
• Exiting a parabox places it in size of the parent on the side it has exited.

As the title suggest, this is all about objects entering another parabox and then exiting it again.

The previous level (Intro 9) already hinted at the solution.

• Gentle Nudge: Anything at an edge or wall can't be recovered easily, so what does that mean for the blue box?
  
• Gentle Nudge: You can't fit both boxes and move into the win state either.

The solution to this level is very similar to the previous one.

• Gentle Nudge: This orange parabox has the same dimensions as the one from the previous level.
  
• Gentle Nudge: What's the win condition? How much space do you have to move around?
  
• Specific Nudge: You will have to move both boxes out of the initial cavity.

It's now the first time you have to actively think what your last move is and how to reach it.

• Gentle Nudge: Remember to achieve the full solution: All spots have to be covered and you have to be inside the green parabox.
  
• Bigger Nudge: How do you enter the green parabox? What does that mean where the green parabox has to be placed?

Another new trick will be taught: What will enter where and how stacking works.

• Gentle Nudge: Think about which conditions have to be met and how many blocks you have available
  
• Bigger Nudge: A new rule has been revealed: If paraboxes are tucked into each other, the innermost parabox will be entered.

The first extra level! These are usually a bit more complicated and expect you to understand the prior lessons well.

• Gentle Nudge: Why can't you finish the level yet?
  
• Bigger Nudge: When the orange parabox ends up in the spot it starts in, what do you need the blue box to be to push it into the other spot?
  
• Specific Nudge: Previously you used an orange parabox to taxi other boxes around - here you will need to do the same.

Ah, boxes against walls are usually tricky to get out.

• Gentle Nudge: Here it is fairly obvious why the gray level is designed as it is.
  
• Gentle Nudge: Remember the rules: Entering a parabox only happens when its path is blocked.

A new interaction is thought: Clicking onto a parabox zooms into it. Sometimes useful to map out how paraboxes are stacked.

• Gentle Nudge: Think about the order of the solution. Which space do you want to fill first?
  
• Gentle Nudge: If you push the blue box inside the orange parabox, what does that how would you enter it? How can you make sure to move the orange parabox down again?
  
• Bigger Nudge: The green parabox has a funny shape, why is that?

Another extra level - this sure seems more advanced than the main levels.

• Gentle Nudge: There's a lot of space to the right, why is that?
  
• Gentle Nudge: Lets assume you want to push something out of the orange parabox, on which side would you enter? What does that mean for the solution?

This extra prepares you for the one it unlocks after.

• Gentle Nudge: Why is there a free square on the left?
  
• Gentle Nudge: Think about the order: You will have to occupy the solution square first with an object before finishing the level, which box is that one?
  
• Bigger Nudge: How would you enter the free space on the left?
  
• Specific Nudge: How many squares is the free square away from the bottom? How many blue boxes do you have?

Good, you made the previous level, now apply the knowledge here! This might be the first time you feel a bit overwhelmed.

• Gentle Nudge: Think about where you want to need to go last.
  
• Bigger Nudge: Do you use the orange parabox as part of the win condition or as taxi?
  
• Bigger Nudge: How many blocks are needed for the solution, how many will you need? How many blocks are not part of the win condition?
  
• Specific Nudge: Here you don't need to block the path of the orange parabox in the shortest way, but the longest way.

How deep does it go?

• Gentle Nudge: Here are no tricks you're not yet prepared for.
  
• Bigger Nudge: Which side does the yellow (innermost) box exit to remain useful?

This trick will blow your mind!

• Gentle Nudge: Experiment! Where do you go in, where do you come out?
  
• Bigger Nudge: You have already done similar puzzles already, this time you do go from large to small to large, this time you're teleporting!

Your first time might be very confusing, but always remember the rules.

• Bigger Nudge:

[/spoiler]What happens if you push against the smaller parabox and it is blocked?[/spoiler]

Specific Nudge: When you got the small parabox out, what remains to do? Where would you do that?

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Now your mind is getting bent what enters and exits where.

• Gentle Nudge: Where can the yellow box go?
  
• Bigger Nudge: Where does the yellow box come out when pushed off the left?

This is a sorting box.

• Gentle Nudge: Which boxes move along which axis?

More plumbing work!

• Gentle Nudge: Why might there be an empty cavity to the left?
  
• Specific Nudge: You want the small parabox below yourself.

Not only plumbing this time, but also a lot of manipulating your location

• Gentle Nudge: When the yellow box enter the small parabox, can you get the yellow box to move vertical?
  
• Gentle Nudge: Why is there a cavity on the left?

• Bigger Nudge: Both boxes enter the left cavity
  
• Bigger Nudge: Who enters first? The blue parabox or the yellow box?

• Exiting a parabox that is itself exits the small parabox on the same side.
  
• Stacked paraboxes enters the innermost box.
  
• A parabox is a suitable taxi for other boxes.
  
• The level design can be a good indicator of a solution.

Empty plays a lot with the concept of stacking, recursion and insertion sides, giving you more freedom in approaching puzzles as well as access to the first optional achievements.

First things first: Even borderless paraboxes follow the same rules as before.

• Gentle Nudge: As in the prior puzzles, entering a parabox also possibly means another exit direction

Teaching moment for insertion rules

• Gentle Nudge: Observe on which square an object enters a parabox. What does that mean for the mobility of objects stuck in one axis?
  
• Specific Nudge: You want to complete the blue parabox first, then the grey outlined square.

• Gentle Nudge: Where is the primary win condition hidden? How many free moving objects do you have?

• Gentle Nudge: Recall the insertion rules - as well as the exit rules.
  
• Bigger Nudge: Can you move around an object inside the brown parabox?

• Gentle Nudge: How many spaces does the blue parabox is in height and width?
  
• Specific Nudge: You would want to build a wall for the win-condition while inside the blue parabox.

• Gentle Nudge: Funny shape of a level, isn't it?
  
• Bigger Nudge: You want to get the green box move at least one tile horizontally, how do you get to do that?
  
• Specific Nudge: The solution getting one box to move horizontally is used on the other side, too.

Oh fun, the paraboxes now have only one side walled off.

• Gentle Nudge: You have done parts of this already in Empty 5.
  
• Bigger Nudge: What's the taxi here? Where does it belong?

This looks initially like there's nothing to do.

• Gentle Nudge: Remember the entry and exit rules.
  
• Gentle Nudge: Explicitly think about when you really want to exit the blue parabox.
  
• Bigger Nudge: The parabox itself is part of the win condition.

Are you thinking with portals?

• Gentle Nudge: It does not matter if you finish fulfill the blue or orange parabox first
  
• Bigger Nudge: Carefully examine the shape of the paraboxes, how is that for you of advantage?

• Gentle Nudge: Which direction can you push each parabox? What does that mean in which the contained parabox can move?
  
• Bigger Nudge: You do not set up the paraboxes by stacking them all from the grey parabox.

• Bigger Nudge: First think about which parabox is most useful to achieve the final goal. Which side should and should not be walled off?

• Achievement hint: You can get two optional achievements here, one by causing a paradox, on by causing a loop of the same movement.
  
• Gentle Nudge; How might the free spot on the top right help you?

• Gentle Nudge: Review a fundamental rule: Objects stuck at walls and edges are almost always impossible to recover.
  
• Bigger Nudge: Treat the blue exit directions as free space to move and manipulate objects.
  
• Specific Nudge: You would want to position the smaller parabox first.

• Gentle Nudge: If the green boxes are stuck at an wall edge, how would you move ithem horizontally?
  
• Bigger Nudge: Use the smaller parabox as a crane.

• Entering a parabox always enters it in the middle, thus it sometimes relaxes edges and allows stuck objects to become free.
  
• Pushing multiple objects out of a parabox lines them up.
  
• Recursive paraboxes allow movements and repositioning on other objects, as well as get behind paraboxes.

The rules you're learning here will accompany you until the end of the game. Observe from which side you're pushing, which push affects which block.

• Gentle Nudge: Review from which side you have to enter. What does that mean to reach the win condition? What requirement is necessary to enter?

• Gentle Nudge: Paraboxes pushed against walls will not be inserted from that side agian.
  
• Specific Nudge: Every time you eat, you might want to push something in as well.

• Bigger Nudge: Parabox needs to eat. A lot!

• Gentle Nudge: The levels are all about paraboxes eating other objects.
  
• Bigger Nudge: Everything tucked in a corner cannot be recovered - unless it creates a new path.

• Gentle Nudge: Remember the recursive aspect: Where will you be placed when exiting at the bottom.

• Gentle Nudge: Remember: Paraboxes can eat up other blocks.

• Gentle Nudge: Here you're asked to first understand the rules when eating or entering a parabox and then plan ahead.
  
• Bigger Nudge: Every time you push a block down, you have more space in the top region.

• Gentle Nudge: You will move and push a lot.
  
• Bigger Nudge: Understanding how to get the yellow box on the bottom left unstuck is the solution to the rest of the level.
  
• Specific Nudge: Getting the blue parabox pushed against a bottom faced wall will still leave an exit open.

• Gentle Nudge: Think simple, these levels are called "Eat"
  
• Bigger Nudge: If you can't push the yellow box in, maybe something else can push against it.

• Gentle Nudge: First take notice of the level design.
  
• Bigger Nudge: Yes, the green parabox has to eat, but that's not the only thing you have to do with it.

• Gentle Nudge: Examine where you will exit the blue parabox depending on which tile you're exiting at.
  
• Bigger Nudge: The solution of Eat 10 looks pretty similar to this one.

This level, from the option challenges, is probably among the most important ones early on, as it teaches you two rules of parabox insertion.

• Gentle Nudge: The hole in the bottom is important - but later than you might expect.
  
• Bigger Nudge: The green parabox will have no insertion if there's no box below it - how many times can you push bottom against a green parabox?
  
• Specific Nudge: The second insertion rule you might learn is somewhat surprising but logical: All rules are evaluated on the same sized area before the next smaller area.

Your first Lo-Fi level - have fun!

• Gentle Nudge: This is much easier than it initially looks. Treat it as normal level but with worse graphics.
  
• Bigger Nudge: Enter and exit path ways of 2 are the same of a regular parabox.

• Pushing a parabox into another object can insert the object into the parabox.
  
• When pushing multiple paraboxes, the first one will make way in direction of the stopping wall.
  
• A parabox pushed into another object will take precedence over an insertion if they may occur at the same time.
  
• Rules are evaluated from largest to smallest level. When triggering a push in a small parabox and an insertion in a larger parabox, the insertion will win.