Best –
How to play
Goal
Fill in the right squares so that every row and column matches its number clue.
Reading the clues
- Each number is a run of filled squares in a row, with no gaps inside it. The numbers are in order: left to right for rows, top to bottom for columns.
- Separate runs need at least one empty square between them.
- For example, the clue 3 1 on a row of 5 can only be ■■■□■.
How it works
- In ■ Fill mode, tap a square to fill it. Tap again to empty it.
- In ✕ Mark mode, tap to put an ✕ on squares you know are empty. It's just a note to yourself.
- Drag across several squares to fill or mark them in one go.
- A clue fades once its line matches. The puzzle is solved when every line matches.
Tips
- Start with big clues. A run of 4 on a line of 5 must cover the middle three squares, wherever it sits.
- Add up a line's clues plus one gap between each. If that equals the line length, the line is fully decided.
- Mark empty squares with ✕ as you find them. They are as useful as filled ones.
- Switch between rows and columns: each new square gives you a fresh clue to work with.
The history of Nonogram
In 1987 Japanese graphic editor Non Ishida won a competition with pictures made by lighting up skyscraper windows. That led her to invent these grid puzzles. Puzzle maker Tetsuya Nishio created them independently in the same year. They are also called Picross, Griddlers or Paint by Numbers.