Try full shapes before you trim
For the first Shape Match board, line up your full characters inside the dotted outline. Its instruction explicitly says no cutting is needed. Bring the second character into the empty part of the silhouette, then adjust the pair’s positions while watching the fit gauge.
Shape Match 2 changes the task: you must create one shared outline with complementary cuts. Decide whether you can move an existing edge into place or need to cut a new one. Read your current instruction before applying either approach.
Inspect the target boundary before your first Cut it Out shape match cut.
Solve the full-character layout
Reform first if earlier experimentation left either character trimmed. Look at the two rounded lower portions of the target and place each full body into its corresponding area. Keep one partner still while the other adjusts.
Inspect the entire perimeter. A body can look close at its base while its side is still outside the dotted edge. Use slow movement for the final correction and stop when the placement improves the gauge.
Do not cut off a visible mismatch in this first layout. The board asks for full shapes, so a position error should be corrected by moving the character. Removing paper changes the problem and forces you to rebuild.
Plan complementary cuts in Shape Match 2
The second layout places the pieces into a shared, angled silhouette. Your characters need to work as a pair: one piece should supply the section the other no longer occupies.
- Identify the outside boundary each character should cover.
- Rotate full bodies into a rough arrangement before cutting.
- Inspect the overlap where the pieces crowd one another.
- Agree which character receives the first cut.
- Cut one boundary, separate, and try the result in the target.
- Use the changed piece as a reference for the partner’s next adjustment.
The pieces should cover different sections of the same outline. Give each one the edges its section needs, then check how the two meet.
Diagnose a low fit gauge
| What you see | First check |
|---|---|
| Correct edges, wrong overall position | Move the pair together toward the dotted boundary |
| One rounded section fits, the other does not | Keep the fitted partner still and adjust the other |
| An angled edge faces the wrong direction | Rotate before making another cut |
| A gap remains between the pieces | Compare their shared boundary and relative placement |
| Necessary paper has been removed | Reform the affected character and rebuild its edge |
Make one correction at a time. If you change both characters’ shape and orientation together, the gauge gives you little information about which change helped.
When the gauge is nearly full, inspect the small boundaries carefully before shaving an exposed edge. First check whether the same piece fits after a small rotation or position adjustment.
Keep the two layouts separate
The first layout begins at 01:00 in the walkthrough, while Shape Match 2 begins at 07:13. Use the board name and visible silhouette to choose the relevant strategy; do not assume those video chapters define permanent game ordering.
Once you understand matching, Ribbon Fold develops the idea of using an already changed body to shape its partner. For exact inputs, check the PC controls guide.
FAQ
Does the first Shape Match puzzle require cutting?
Its displayed instruction asks you to line up full shapes with no cutting needed. Start with untrimmed characters.
Why does my shape look right but the gauge stays low?
Check the whole perimeter, rotation and placement. A small outside edge or gap between partners can remain even when one section fits.
Should both pieces look identical in Shape Match 2?
No. Plan complementary pieces that jointly cover the shared outline.
When should I reform?
Reform when a necessary part of your body is missing. Try rotation and positioning first if the required geometry is still present.
Is Shape Match 2 always the same numbered level?
Use its board name and instruction to find it. Video chapter numbers help you navigate the walkthrough; they do not establish a permanent official level index.