Aybuben
Slide tuff tiles across a 4×4 board and merge matching Armenian letters: two ayb make a ben, two ben make a gim, on through the 36 original letters of Mashtots’ alphabet. Every tile shows the letter’s name and sound, so you don’t need to read Armenian to chase the deep ones. Aybuben is a free browser game: no download, no account — swipe on your phone or take the arrow keys.
How to play
- Swipe or press an arrow key: every tile slides as far as it can toward that edge.
- Two identical letters that collide merge into the next letter of the alphabet — two ayb (Ա) make one ben (Բ).
- Every move drops a new tile onto the board. When no move can change the board, the run ends — your score and your deepest letter stay.
Controls
| Touch | Swipe up, down, left, or right to slide; tap to start and retry |
|---|---|
| Keyboard | Arrow keys or WASD to slide; Space to start and retry |
The alphabet of Mashtots
In about 405 AD the scholar-monk Mesrop Mashtots created the Armenian alphabet — 36 letters, cut so precisely to the language that they are still in use sixteen centuries later, with only three letters added since to make the modern 39. The word aybuben — “alphabet” — is built from the names of the first two letters, ayb and ben: the same two tiles every run of this game begins with.
Tradition holds that the first sentence Mashtots wrote with his new letters came from the Book of Proverbs: “To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding.” Merge your way toward Ք — ke, the 36th — and you will have written your way through the whole original alphabet.
FAQ
Is Aybuben free to play?
Yes. Aybuben runs free in your browser — no download, no account, and it works on phones, tablets, and desktops.
What does aybuben mean?
Aybuben (այբուբեն) is the Armenian word for “alphabet,” formed from ayb and ben — the names of the first two letters, Ա and Բ. The game climbs the same ladder: merging two identical letters makes the next one.
How is Aybuben different from 2048?
The rules are classic 2048 — slide, merge equal tiles, don’t run out of moves — but the tiles are the 36 original letters of the Armenian alphabet in Mashtots’ order instead of numbers. Reaching the classic 2048 tile means forging Ի (ini), the eleventh letter.
How many letters are in the Armenian alphabet?
Mesrop Mashtots created 36 letters in about 405 AD; modern Armenian uses 39. Aybuben plays with the 36 original letters, from Ա (ayb) to Ք (ke).
Do I need to read Armenian to play Aybuben?
No. Every tile shows the letter’s name and sound in Latin letters, so you can track your progress through the alphabet without reading Armenian script.
More games
Aybuben is part of vishap.games — small free browser games from Armenian legends. All games · Play Vishap · Play Aralez