Nuts and Bolts: Screw Puzzle is a physics-based, logic-puzzle sorting game. Instead of rearranging colored liquids in containers, the player repositions cross-head screws to release metal plates from wooden boards. Their goal is to solve each puzzle rapidly since the game tracks their time, unlock the next level, and earn diamonds to use in the game's shop.
The player receives a specific number of empty and used holes in a board. The game might attach one or more plates to the board with multiple screws. The player selects a screw and then an empty hole to reposition the screw. If they perform this task logically, they reposition the screws away from the plate enough for it to fall or slide off the board as a result of the game mimicking the pull of Earth's gravity.
Nuts and Bolts: Screw Puzzle doesn't permit the player to use a partially covered empty hole, as typically seen when a plate becomes stuck on another plate or screw while sliding off the surface. It also doesn't allow the use of a hole intermittently covered by a plate that swings from side to side.
The game gives the player diamonds at the end of a level when they succeed. If they access the daily bonus screen or watch a video, they can claim extra diamonds as well. They can use their winnings and gifts to access limited numbers of helpful tools, such as a double-arrow button that allows them to reload a level after a mistake in place of an undo button and a drill button that creates a new hole in a board. They can also buy fresh-looking backgrounds.