How to play Nonogram
- Press Start. Look at the numbers to the left of each row and above each column.
- Each number is a run of filled squares in that line, in order, with at least one empty square between runs.
- Tap a square to fill it, or drag along a row or column to fill several. Switch to Cross mode to mark squares you know are empty.
- Filling a square that is not part of the picture costs a heart. Lines you finish are crossed off automatically.
- Fill every square of the picture to reveal it in color. No mistakes and no hints earns three stars.
About Nonogram
Nonograms are picture logic puzzles, also known as griddlers or paint by numbers. Every puzzle hides a small pixel picture in a grid of empty squares. The numbers beside each row and above each column tell you the runs of filled squares in that line, in order: a clue of 3 1 means a run of three filled squares, then at least one gap, then a single filled square. Using only those numbers, you work out which squares are filled and which stay empty, crossing out the ones you are sure are blank. Finish every row and column and the mosaic blooms into full color, revealing an owl, a lighthouse, a panda or one of a hundred other original pictures. The puzzles start tiny, five by five, and grow to fifteen by fifteen, and each one is checked so that it can be solved line by line without guessing. Three hearts forgive small slips, completed lines are crossed off for you, and a hint fills one square when you are stuck.
Controls
| Input | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tap or drag | Fill squares (or cross them in Cross mode) |
| Right-click | Cross out a square |
| Arrow keys | Move the cursor |
| Space or F, X | Fill, cross out |
| H or the bulb | Fill one square (costs a star) (3 per level) |
Tips and strategy
- Start with the big numbers. In a ten-wide row, a clue of 8 must cover the middle six squares wherever it sits, so fill those straight away.
- Add the clues up. If a row's runs plus the gaps between them equal the row's width, the whole row is decided at once.
- Zeros and finished lines are free information. Cross out their empty squares so that the crossing columns have less room to guess.
- Work back and forth. Each square you fill or cross in a row gives the crossing column a new fact, so alternate between rows and columns.
- Look at the edges. A filled square touching the border must be the start of the first or last run, which often fixes several squares next to it.
- Count what is left. When a line has one run left to place and only one gap big enough, that run has to go there.
Questions and answers
What is a nonogram?
A picture logic puzzle where number clues on each row and column describe runs of filled squares. Solving all the clues reveals a hidden picture. The same idea is also called a griddler or paint by numbers.
Do I ever need to guess?
No. Every puzzle is checked with a line-by-line solver. Where line logic alone would stall, a few squares start filled in so that the rest can be worked out.
What happens if I fill a wrong square?
It is crossed out instead and you lose a heart. You have three hearts per picture; losing all three ends the round, and you can retry straight away.
How big are the puzzles?
Twenty start at five by five, then come eight by eight, ten by ten, twelve by twelve and finally fifteen by fifteen pictures.
How do stars work?
Solve with no mistakes and no hints for three stars. Each mistake or hint takes away one, and a solved picture always earns at least one.
Do I need an account?
No. Nonogram runs in your browser on phones, tablets and computers, and your stars are saved on your device.
