Orthogonal 1 Maze Generator — Free Online Tool
The geometry
The Orthogonal 1 maze is the classic square-grid labyrinth everyone pictures when they hear the word "maze." Every cell is a perfect square connected to its four neighbours — up, down, left, and right — producing crisp right-angled corridors that read cleanly at any size. It is the most legible maze geometry there is, which is exactly why it remains the workhorse of printed puzzle books and classroom worksheets.
How it works
Square mazes trace back centuries, and our compiled C/C++ engine carves them with a recursive backtracker by default, weaving long, satisfying corridors with relatively few dead ends. Because the grid is uniform, an orthogonal maze scales beautifully: a gentle 5x5 for toddlers or a punishing 99x99 for adults, all rendered in milliseconds at 300 DPI. You control wall colour, line width, and background so the puzzle matches your book's theme.
Who it's for
For KDP publishers, the orthogonal maze is the safest bet for a best-selling activity book — instantly recognisable, easy to solve at a glance, and flawless in print. Educators use it to build differentiated worksheets where grid size maps directly to grade level. Game developers reach for square grids when they need tile-based level layouts that drop straight into an engine. Start free with two styles, or upgrade for all 30 plus PDF export.
You may also like
Related maze styles that print and solve beautifully — explore another geometry for your next book.
Explore more
Browse every geometry side by side, or jump straight into the generator.
All maze types See plans & pricing Read: Hexagonal vs Orthogonal Mazes: Which Sell Better on KDP?