A nonogram starts as a blank grid with numbers down the side and across the top. Those numbers tell you how the cells in each row and column are shaded. Read them carefully, fill in the cells they point to, and a pixel picture slowly emerges from the void.
You may know it as Picross, Griddlers, Hanjie or Paint by Numbers. The name varies from country to country, but the rules remain the same, and even the moment when the last few cells click into place and the whole design becomes visible.
What Is a Nonogram?
A nonogram is a picture-based logic puzzle. Each clue in it is a list of numbers, and each number represents the length of a set of cells (a block) filled in that row or column. There is always at least one empty cell between two blocks. By placing each block in the correct position, a picture emerges in the grid.
The puzzle was invented in Japan in 1987, when graphic editor Non Ishida and puzzle creator Tetsuya Nishio independently came up with the idea. British publisher James Dalgety named it 'Nonogram' after Ishida and in 1990 'The Sunday Telegraph' newspaper started publishing it on a weekly basis. In the 1990s, Nintendo introduced the format to handheld consoles under the name 'Picross', which is why many players still use the name today.
How to Play Nonogram
Step 1: Read the clues. The numbers next to each row and above each column indicate the length of the blocks of cells filled in that row or column (in order). The '3 1' clue means a block of three cells, followed by at least one empty cell, and then one full cell. A '0' clue means that the line is completely empty.
Step 2: Fill a cell. Tap or click on a box to color (shade) it. Tap again to empty it again.
Step 3: Mark empty cells. Go to 'Mark mode' or right-click and place an 'X' in the box to indicate that it is empty. Placing these symbols is not mandatory, but it makes it much easier to understand the rest of the space.
Step 4: Drag to paint. To fill or mark part of an entire row or column at once, hold and drag in that direction. Doing 'Undo' will cancel the entire stroke (action done at once).
Step 5: Watch the clues. When a line matches a cue, the cue fades, and turns red if the line can no longer be matched. A highlight indicates the row or column you are working on.
Step 6: Reveal the picture. When all the filled cells are in the right place, the grid lines disappear and the finished design appears on the screen.
Nonogram Rules at a Glance
- Each number is the length of one block of filled cells.
- Blocks appear in the same order as their numbers.
- There is at least one empty cell between two blocks in the same line.
- A clue of 0 means the whole line is empty.
- Every puzzle has one solution.
Nonogram Sizes
- Easy, 5 by 5: a quick warm-up that teaches you how the clues work.
- Medium, 10 by 10: the classic size, where the overlap trick starts to matter.
- Hard, 15 by 15: longer clues and more lines that need two or three passes.
- Expert, 20 by 20: a big grid where you keep switching between rows and columns to make progress.
Every puzzle is checked by a solver that works one line at a time, the same way a person does. If the solver can finish it without guessing, it makes the cut. That means each grid has exactly one answer and you never need to take a blind guess.
Nonogram Solving Techniques
Use the overlap
Move one block as far left as possible and then as far right as possible. In both the conditions the cells which are covered must be filled. In a row of 10 cells, the clue '7' always fills the middle four cells, no matter where the block is located.
Add up the clue
Add the numbers given in the clue and the one blank space between each pair of blocks. If the sum equals the length of the line (row or column), the entire line is fixed. The instruction '4 5' in a line of 10 cells means: fill four cells, leave one blank, and then fill another five cells.
Work from the edges
A filled cell adjacent to the border or 'X' must be the beginning of that block. You can immediately extend it to the full length of that block.
Close off finished blocks
Once the block reaches its specified length, place an 'X' on both ends of it. Those marks also often help determine the position of neighboring blocks.
Clear out finished lines
When a line matches its clue, all other cells remaining in it are empty. Mark them and move on. Lines with 'zero' are the easiest, so complete them first.
Keep switching direction
Each cell you fill in a row becomes a new instruction for its column. The fastest solvers alternate between rows and columns; They fill in a few cells each time and in doing so the whole picture is completed.
Features of the Nonogram Game on PuzzleVuzzle
On paper, a big nonogram means counting squares with a pencil and plenty of erasing. Our version handles the counting and checking, so you can focus on the logic. Every puzzle comes with:
- Four sizes, from 5 by 5 to 20 by 20
- Every puzzle has one solution you can reach line by line
- Fill and Mark modes, right-click marking and drag-to-paint
- Clues that fade when a line is done and turn red when it breaks
- Undo, Check, Clear and three free hints per puzzle
- A timer, your best time and win streak for each size
- Your current puzzle is saved if you leave the page
- Keyboard and touch controls, plus light and dark themes
Benefits of Playing Nonogram
Nonogram may look like a coloring activity, but each cell you fill in is a small decision based on logic.
Sharper logical thinking
Each filled cell is a conclusion drawn from the clues, not a guess. Working out what has to be true from a few numbers trains clean, careful reasoning.
Stronger focus
A cell filled in the wrong place can disrupt an entire row and the column that intersects it. Attention to blocks, gaps and edges increases concentration.
Visual and spatial skills
You learn to visualize where blocks can and cannot fit, as well as understand how rows and columns share the same box. Over time, you learn to see the grid not just as a set of numbers, but as a shape.
Patience and planning
Large grids are solved by filling in a few cells at a time. Switching between rows and columns and moving forward based on small specifics teaches you to progress without rushing.
A quiet way to unwind
There is no countdown, no opponent and no way to lose. A nonogram is a calm way to switch off while still keeping your mind busy.
Why Players Enjoy Nonogram Puzzles
The picture is the hook. You start with a blank grid and a wall of numbers, and each line you complete reveals a little more of the hidden design. Somewhere halfway you can usually see a shape forming, and that's when one more line turns to complete the whole thing.
Players also like that it plays fairly. Each grid has an answer that can only be reached by logic, so when you get stuck, the next move is somewhere in the clues. Seeing it feels earned, not lucky.
And it scales well. 5 by 5 takes a minute or two, while 20 by 20 can last an entire evening. The rules are the same on every size. Only the scale of thinking changes.
Who Will Enjoy Nonogram?
Sudoku and logic puzzle fans
If you enjoy ruling out options until you're left with one answer, nonograms use exactly that skill. The difference is that you get a picture at the end instead of a grid of numbers.
Picross and Griddlers players
If you've solved this in a magazine or on a game console, you already know how to play. Here you find fresh grids in four sizes, free in your browser.
People who want a puzzle without words or math
You need no vocabulary, no trivia and no arithmetic except counting. Everything you need is printed along the edges of the grid.
Visual thinkers
If you like seeing designs square by square together, you'll enjoy the moment when the grid lines fall away and the finished pixel design remains on screen. Fans of tangram-shaped puzzles should feel right at home here.
Anyone who dislikes guessing
Every grid is checked by a solver that works line by line, so you never have to fill in a cell and hope. Big puzzles are difficult, but they are always reasonable.
Play Nonogram Online Anytime on PuzzleVuzzle
You can play Nonogram online here on phone, tablet or computer, without download and account. Start with 5 by 5, work up to 20 by 20 and then come back. If you leave the page your current grid will be saved.
A small grid fits into the tea break, and then there's always another one waiting. When you want a change, try Kakuro's number logic, placement puzzles in Queens, or shapes in Tangram.
Nonogram FAQ
- What are the rules of a nonogram?
- Each number given next to a row or above a column represents the length of the block of filled cells of that line. These blocks are in sequence and must have at least one empty cell between them. Fill in the boxes so that each row and column matches its clue.
- Is a nonogram the same as Picross?
- Yes. Picross, Griddlers, Hanjie and Paint by Numbers are other names for the same puzzle.
- What does a clue like 3 1 mean?
- That line consists of a block of three filled cells, followed by at least one empty cell, and then one filled cell. Blocks can be anywhere in the line as long as this sequence is maintained.
- Do I have to use the X marks?
- No. You only need the filled cells to win, but X marks make it much easier to see where the remaining blocks can go.
- How do hints work?
- Each puzzle gives three free hints. If you filled in a wrong box, the hint corrects it, or fills in a box that is part of the picture. After that, coins have to be spent for additional hints.
- Can I play nonograms on my phone?
- Yes. Tap to fill, switch to Mark for X marks, and drag along a row or column to paint several cells at once.