---
title: "Tray matching puzzles: API"
package: "@phaser-ae/tray-match"
tier: Pro
version: 3.0.0-3
released: 2026-10-14
updated: 2026-10-19
description: "The rules and seeded level generator for triple-match tray puzzles, where the player picks uncovered tiles or 3D objects into a small tray and three of a kind clear."
url: https://phaser.io/packs/tray-match/api
site: Phaser - https://phaser.io
---

# Tray matching puzzles: API

`@phaser-ae/tray-match` — Seeded layered tiles and 3D object matching, limited trays, quotas, hints and undoable reshuffles.

## The pack

### `trayMatch`

```ts
function trayMatch(): Pack<{ trayMatch: typeof kit }>
```

Install renderer-independent puzzle rules and level generation.

## Helpers

### `analyzeTrayMatch`

```ts
function analyzeTrayMatch(config: TrayConfig, options: TrayAnalysisOptions = {}): TrayAnalysis
```

Evaluate an owned configuration using three visible-board strategies and seeded tie breaks. Never mutates the level.

### `createTrayMatch`

```ts
function createTrayMatch(config: TrayConfig, solution: TrayAction[] = []): TrayMatch
```

Construct a pure puzzle, optionally using a replay-checked certificate for cheap hints.

### `generateTrayMasks`

```ts
function generateTrayMasks(options: TrayMaskOptions = {}): TrayLayoutBlueprint
```

Compose filled/empty layer maps into small staggered tiles; no canvas or renderer is required.

### `generateTrayMatch`

```ts
function generateTrayMatch(options: TrayGenerateOptions = {}): TrayLevel
```

Generate a deterministic, fully playable layered or spatial pile level at runtime. All solving and layout policies live here.

### `traySurfaceCount`

```ts
function traySurfaceCount(shape: TrayTileLayout): number
```

Natural exposed count for a motif; the existing five boards retain their 22-tile surface.

## Classes

### `TrayMatch`

```ts
class TrayMatch
```

Headless tray matching with accessibility adapters, target quotas, atomic moves and complete history.

- `constructor(config: TrayConfig, solution: TrayAction[] = [])`
- `get state(): TrayState` — Owned snapshot, safe to save or inspect.
- `get items(): TrayItem[]` — Live items including keys assigned by reshuffle; returned as owned copies.
- `get capacity(): number` — Maximum held objects before matches clear.
- `get solved(): boolean` — All objects matched, or configured quotas satisfied.
- `get lost(): boolean` — Full unresolved tray, exhausted moves, or inaccessible remaining items. Undo/reset remain available.
- `blockedBy(id: string): string[]` — Exact accessibility reasons, independent of camera visibility.
- `isAccessible(id: string): boolean` — Whether an item can be selected now, before tray/move-limit checks.
- `legalActions(): TrayAction[]` — All legal selections.
- `preview(action: TrayAction): ActionResult<TrayEvent>` — Validate without changing state, history or certificate.
- `apply(action: TrayAction): ActionResult<TrayEvent>` — Commit one legal selection and immediately resolve any match.
- `solve(maxStates = 20000): SearchResult<TrayAction>` — Proven continuation: replay a compatible certificate, otherwise perform bounded search. Never mutates play.
- `reshuffle(seed: number): ActionResult<TrayEvent>` — Reassign only remaining keys while preserving counts, held items and geometry; validate a new continuation. Undoable and deterministic.
- `undo(): boolean` — Restore the previous complete state, including any reshuffle.
- `redo(): boolean` — Replay an undone state.
- `reset(): void` — Restore original keys, level and empty tray.

## Constants

### `trayPileLayouts`

```ts
const trayPileLayouts: readonly ["heap", "two-heaps", "crescent", "scatter"]
```

Pile footprints suited to scattered objects rather than layered picture tiles.

### `trayTileLayouts`

```ts
const trayTileLayouts: readonly ["x", "cross", "hourglass", "bands", "twin-peaks", "t", "i", "l", "e", "diamond", "ring", "heart", "star", "flower", "stairs", "procedural"]
```

Tile silhouettes. Letter boards are inspired by Triple Tile; the additional motifs are our designs.

## Types

### `TrayAction`

```ts
interface TrayAction
```

Select one accessible item.

- `id: string` — Id of the item to select.

### `TrayAnalysis`

```ts
interface TrayAnalysis
```

Strategy screening, not a predicted human win rate or proof of minimum capacity.

- `greedyWins: number` — Trials won, summed over all three strategies.
- `greedyTrials: number` — Trials run in all: trials per strategy times three.
- `greedyWinRate: number` — `greedyWins` over `greedyTrials`, 0 to 1.
- `meanClearedFraction: number` — Mean share of the items matched and cleared per trial, 0 to 1, whether or not the trial won.
- `initialTriples: number` — Complete matching groups the items accessible at the start could already make, counted across all keys.
- `dependencyEdges: number` — Blocking relationships at the start: an item blocked by two others counts twice.
- `policies: { name: 'match-first' | 'group-first' | 'unlock-first'; wins: number; trials: number }[]` — Wins and trials for each of the three strategies.

### `TrayAnalysisOptions`

```ts
interface TrayAnalysisOptions
```

Reproducible matching-policy trials, independent of the level generator's RNG.

- `seed?: number` — Unsigned 32-bit seed for the strategies' tie breaks; default 0x735a2.
- `trialsPerPolicy?: number` — Trials run for each of the three strategies, 1 to 64; default 8.

### `TrayConfig`

```ts
interface TrayConfig
```

Layered footprints cover lower tiles; piles use overlapping 3D bounds; explicit blockers work in either.

- `items: TrayItem[]` — The objects on the board, 1 to 120, with unique ids.
- `capacity?: number` — Most items the tray holds, 2 to 30; a selection into a full tray is refused. Default 7.
- `matchSize?: number` — Identical keys that clear together, 2 up to `capacity`. Default 3.
- `mode?: 'layered' | 'pile' | 'explicit'` — How blocking is decided: `'layered'` (a higher overlapping footprint covers a tile; default), `'pile'` (overlapping 3D bounds) or `'explicit'` (only `blockers`).
- `blockers?: { item: string; by: string; }[]` — Extra rules that `item` cannot be selected until `by` has been removed; allowed in every mode.
- `targets?: Record<string, number>` — Quotas of cleared groups by key, each 1 to 120; the puzzle is won as soon as all are met. Default none, so every item must clear.
- `maxMoves?: number` — Most selections allowed, 1 to 10000; reshuffles do not count. Default unlimited.

### `TrayDifficulty`

```ts
type TrayDifficulty = 'easy' | 'medium' | 'hard' | 'very-hard'
```

Available runtime difficulty presets, from relaxed matching to sustained planning.

### `TrayEvent`

```ts
type TrayEvent = { type: 'selected'; id: string; index: number; } | { type: 'matched'; key: string; ids: string[]; } | { type: 'reshuffled'; seed: number; ids: string[]; }
```

Ordered events to animate after atomic rule application.

### `TrayGenerateOptions`

```ts
interface TrayGenerateOptions
```

Runtime level controls; interlock and strategy screening control planning difficulty.

- `seed?: number` — Unsigned 32-bit integer, 0 allowed. Default 1.
- `difficulty?: TrayDifficulty` — Preset: `'easy'`, `'medium'`, `'hard'` or `'very-hard'`. Default `'medium'`.
- `mode?: 'layered' | 'pile'` — `'layered'` for tile boards or `'pile'` for spatial piles. Default `'layered'`.
- `groups?: number` — Matching sets on the board, 2 to 40; items are groups times `matchSize`, at most 120. Default set by difficulty and layout.
- `kinds?: number` — Distinct matching keys, 2 up to `groups`. Default set by difficulty and layout, capped at `groups`.
- `layers?: number` — Layers of stacking: 1 to 3 for shaped boards and scattered piles, 1 to 8 for `'stacks'`. Default set by difficulty.
- `columns?: number` — Columns of a `'stacks'` layout, 2 to 16; shaped boards and scattered piles ignore it. Default set by difficulty.
- `capacity?: number` — Tray capacity, from `matchSize` plus 1 to 16. Default 7.
- `matchSize?: number` — Identical items that clear together, 2 to 5. Default 3.
- `pressure?: number` — Planned peak tray fill for the winning route, 1 to `capacity` minus 1. Default 2, 3, 5 or 6 by difficulty.
- `interlock?: number` — 0 to 1: how strongly lower tiles are covered by several upper ones, coupling the order matches become available. Default 0, 0, 0.7 or 1 by difficulty.
- `candidateBudget?: number` — Most seeded candidates screened against `maxGreedyWinRate`, 1 to 96. Default 1, 1, 32 or 64 by difficulty.
- `maxGreedyWinRate?: number` — Ceiling, 0 to 1, on the share of screening trials the three bot strategies may win. Default 1, 1, 0.25 or 1/24 by difficulty.
- `layout?: TrayLayout` — Board family: `'auto'` (default, cycling with `levelIndex`), a tile or pile family name, `'stacks'`, or `'custom'` (implied by `masks` or `surfaceMask`).
- `exposed?: number` — Initially accessible surface tiles on shaped boards, 1 to 36. Default the shape's natural count.
- `levelIndex?: number` — Level number that selects the family under `'auto'`, 0 to 1,000,000. Default 0.
- `layoutPeriod?: number` — Levels each family lasts under `'auto'`, 1 to 1000. Default 1.
- `gridSize?: number` — Procedural surface canvas and minimum mask size in cells, 8 or 10. Default 10.
- `rotation?: number` — Quarter turns applied to generated surfaces, 0 to 3. Default 0.
- `mirror?: boolean` — Reflect generated surfaces before they are rotated. Default false.
- `symmetry?: 'horizontal' | 'central' | 'none'` — Symmetry of a procedural surface: `'horizontal'`, `'central'` or `'none'`. Default `'horizontal'`.
- `masks?: TrayLayerMask[] | null` — A complete authored top-to-bottom blueprint that replaces generated geometry; not combined with `surfaceMask`. Default null.
- `surfaceMask?: TrayLayerMask | null` — One authored top layer, with the lower layers, keys and route generated; not combined with `masks`. Default null.
- `spread?: number` — Spacing of pile footprints, 1 to 1.5; higher values reduce overlap. Default 1.

### `TrayItem`

```ts
interface TrayItem
```

A stable object ID and matching key, with optional renderer-independent 3D/footprint pose.

- `id: string` — Unique item name, used by actions, blockers and events.
- `key: string` — Matching key: items with the same key group together in the tray and clear together.
- `x: number` — Position across the board, within plus or minus 1000, in the same units as `width`; generated tile levels use cell units.
- `y: number` — Position down the board, within plus or minus 1000, in the same units as `depth`.
- `z: number` — Height of the item's centre, within plus or minus 1000; in layered mode a higher item covers lower ones that it overlaps.
- `width?: number` — Extent along x, above 0, used for overlap tests. Default 0.9.
- `depth?: number` — Extent along y, above 0, used for overlap tests. Default 0.9.
- `height?: number` — Extent along z, above 0; only pile mode uses it, to tell whether one item sits above another. Default 0.45.

### `TrayLayerMask`

```ts
interface TrayLayerMask
```

Filled X / empty . cells. Offsets locate the top-left cell centre in board cell units; layers are top first.

- `rows: string[]` — Rectangular grid rows, top to bottom, all the same length (1 to 16 rows and columns): `X` is a tile, `.` is empty.
- `offsetX: number` — Board position of the first cell's centre across the board, in cell units; half-cell steps, within plus or minus 16.
- `offsetY: number` — Board position of the first cell's centre down the board, in cell units; half-cell steps, within plus or minus 16.

### `TrayLayout`

```ts
type TrayLayout = 'auto' | TrayTileLayout | TrayPileLayout | 'stacks' | 'custom'
```

Shallow tile silhouettes, automatic level progression, or spatial stacked piles.

### `TrayLayoutBlueprint`

```ts
interface TrayLayoutBlueprint
```

Renderer-independent grid blueprint, with blank matching keys ready for a certified deal.

- `masks: TrayLayerMask[]` — The layer masks, top layer first.
- `items: TrayItem[]` — The tiles those masks make, with blank matching keys until a deal assigns them.

### `TrayLevel`

```ts
interface TrayLevel
```

Proven level, certificate measurements and independent matching-strategy screening.

- `config: TrayConfig` — The playable puzzle: items, capacity, match size and mode.
- `solution: TrayAction[]` — A winning sequence of selections from `config`, validated by replaying it through the rules; it is not the shortest.
- `seed: number` — The seed requested, which names the whole candidate sequence.
- `difficulty: TrayDifficulty` — The difficulty preset used.
- `parameters: Required<TrayGenerateOptions>` — Every option as resolved, defaults filled in, so passing it back regenerates this level.
- `blueprint: TrayLayoutBlueprint | null` — The tile masks and items behind a shaped board, or null for piles and stacks.
- `metrics: { items: number; layers: number; kinds: number; initialChoices: number; hidden: number; solutionPeak: number; capacity: number; layout: Exclude<TrayLayout, 'auto'>; analysis: TrayAnalysis; candidatesTested: number; difficultyTargetMet: boolean; }` — Measurements of the level: item, layer and kind counts, initial choices, covered items, route peak, capacity, resolved layout, strategy screening and whether the win-rate target was met.

### `TrayMaskOptions`

```ts
interface TrayMaskOptions
```

Bounded mask composition controls. Custom masks replace shape, item count and automatic layering.

- `seed?: number` — Unsigned 32-bit seed for the procedural surface and the lower-layer staggering. Default 1.
- `shape?: TrayTileLayout` — The surface silhouette. Default `'x'`.
- `items?: number` — Total tiles across all layers, 1 to 120. Default 66.
- `layers?: number` — Layers of tiles, 1 to 3. Default 3.
- `exposed?: number` — Tiles on the top layer, 1 to 36 (up to the item count for an authored surface). Default the shape's natural count.
- `interlock?: number` — 0 to 1: how strongly lower tiles prefer positions covered by several upper tiles. Default 0.
- `gridSize?: number` — Procedural surface canvas and minimum mask size in cells, 8 or 10. Default 10.
- `rotation?: number` — Quarter turns applied to the generated surface, 0 to 3. Default 0.
- `mirror?: boolean` — Reflect the generated surface before it is rotated. Default false.
- `symmetry?: 'horizontal'|'central'|'none'` — Symmetry of a procedural surface: `'horizontal'` (default), `'central'` or `'none'`.
- `masks?: TrayLayerMask[] | null` — A complete authored blueprint of 1 to 3 layers, top first, replacing automatic geometry; not combined with `surfaceMask`.
- `surfaceMask?: TrayLayerMask | null` — One authored top layer, with the lower layers generated beneath it; not combined with `masks`.

### `TrayMatchApi`

```ts
type TrayMatchApi = typeof kit
```

Public pure tray-match rules and runtime seeded generation API.

### `TrayPileLayout`

```ts
type TrayPileLayout = typeof trayPileLayouts[number]
```

One of the pile footprint names in {@link trayPileLayouts}.

### `TrayState`

```ts
interface TrayState
```

Complete serializable state including reshuffled keys and held item IDs.

- `items: TrayItem[]` — Every item, including any keys changed by reshuffles.
- `removed: string[]` — Ids of the items taken off the board, in selection order.
- `tray: string[]` — Ids of the items held in the tray, with identical keys grouped together.
- `cleared: Record<string, number>` — Groups cleared so far, counted by key.
- `moves: number` — Selections made so far, counted against `maxMoves`.
- `reshuffles: number` — Reshuffles applied so far.

### `TrayTileLayout`

```ts
type TrayTileLayout = typeof trayTileLayouts[number]
```

One of the tile silhouette names in {@link trayTileLayouts}.

---

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