Grid fleet search — Free Printable PDF & Rules

Set up and play

1. Hide straight ships of lengths 3, 2, and 1 on your own grid.
2. Alternate unused coordinates and record hit or miss on both sheets.
3. Announce the size only when every square of a ship has been hit.

Finish the game

Use the ending and scoring rules in the complete guide below.

What makes this a deduction game

Two players hide an imaginary fleet on separate six by six grids. They take turns naming a coordinate and learning whether that square contains a ship. The game rewards a clear record and the ability to extend a promising search, rather than remembering somebody else’s personal information. A pair can finish a small fleet in roughly fifteen to twenty minutes, but that is a planning estimate rather than a guarantee. For four to eight guests, form separate pairs or let two partners share each side. Keep both sides at the same team size whenever possible.

Prepare the two private sheets

Print one sheet per side. Each sheet has an Own fleet grid and a Search record grid. Columns are labeled A through F and rows one through six. Each player draws three straight ships on the Own fleet grid: one occupying three squares, one occupying two, and one occupying one. Ships must run horizontally or vertically, stay entirely inside the grid, and never overlap. In this starter format ships may touch; touching does not join them into a larger ship. Mark each ship with its size so you can identify exactly when all of its squares have been found. Do not draw ships on the Search record grid.

Check the layout and begin play

Use a folded spare sheet as a privacy screen and keep your pencil marks hidden from the other side. Both players check their own layouts for six occupied squares in total. A host can check layouts privately if the group wants help, but should not reveal coordinates. Choose a first player and alternate the first turn in a return game. On a turn, name one coordinate such as C4. The other player checks their Own fleet grid, marks the called square, and answers hit or miss. Mark the same result on your Search record grid before the turn passes.

Hits, complete ships, and repeated coordinates

A hit does not earn an extra turn in this version. When every square of one ship has been hit, its owner says sunk and gives its size. Do not reveal the locations of other ships. Repeating a coordinate gives no new information, so let the caller choose a different unused square before moving on; this keeps a beginner’s recording error from becoming a surprise penalty. Players may inspect their own records at any time, but they may not move ships after the first coordinate is called. Keep the same rule for all ships, including the single square ship.

A worked exchange and the winning condition

Suppose a three square ship occupies B2, C2, and D2. A call of C2 receives hit, and the owner marks the middle square. On a later turn B2 is also a hit. Only after D2 has been called does the owner announce sunk, size three. A call of C3 would still be a miss unless a separate ship occupies it; touching ships remain separate entries. The first side to hit all six occupied squares in the opposing fleet wins. If you want equal opportunities, finish the second player’s turn in that same round and allow a shared win. Agree that option before beginning.

Adapt the experience without losing the record

For a shorter introduction, use just the two square and one square ships, giving each side three occupied squares. A reader may say both the column letter and row number twice; larger coordinate labels can be written beside the printed sheet. Partners can alternate calling and recording so both people participate. For a cooperative alternative, one person hides a fleet while the whole table shares a search record and tries to find it within eighteen unique calls. This is a different goal, so do not combine its limit with the competitive version. End by checking the called squares together; these example materials do not make claims about tested learning outcomes.

Your printable materials

Original starter materials below. Print at 100% scale; turn off browser headers and footers. Select Letter or A4. Review the preview before making a batch.

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Make room for everyone

Invite guests to take a turn or pass. Explain the rules before starting, choose materials that suit your group, and offer a seated or read-aloud option when helpful.

More games with this play style

• Team trivia
• Closest guess
• Memory tray