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Nonograms

Puzzle · Use the number clues to paint a hidden picture.

Play Nonograms free online: use the number clues to work out which squares to fill and paint a hidden picture, from a little frog to a lighthouse. Every puzzle can be solved by logic alone, no guessing, with Easy, Medium, Hard and a Daily picture.

How to play

  1. The numbers beside each row and above each column tell you the blocks of filled squares in that line, in order. "3 1" means a block of 3, at least one gap, then a block of 1.
  2. Tap a square to fill it, or drag along a row or column to fill several at once.
  3. Switch to ✕ (or press and hold) to mark squares you know are empty. Crosses help you see where blocks can still go.
  4. When every row and column matches its numbers, the hidden picture appears in colour.
  5. Easy (5×5 to 8×8) and Medium (10×10) show mistakes straight away; Medium and the Daily give you three lives. Hard (15×15) checks nothing until the picture is right.

Tips to win

  • Start with big numbers. In a row of 10, a 7 must cover the middle 4 squares wherever it starts: count from both ends and fill the overlap.
  • Look for lines that are exactly full: in 10 squares, "4 5" plus one gap is 10, so the whole row is known.
  • When a line's blocks are all drawn, cross out the rest. Auto ✕ can do this for you.
  • Cross out squares that no block can reach, and the squares on both sides of a block that's already complete.
  • Switch between rows and columns: every square you fill or cross gives you new information for the other direction.
  • Stuck? Tap Teach me and Hop shows the next square you can work out, and says which trick to use.

Guides

Questions

What is a nonogram?

A nonogram is a picture logic puzzle. Number clues on each row and column tell you how many squares in a row are filled, and solving them all reveals a pixel picture. They're also known as paint by numbers, hanjie, griddlers or picross puzzles.

How do you solve a nonogram?

Start with the biggest clues and fill the squares that must be covered wherever the block goes (the overlap). Cross out squares that can't be filled, then keep switching between rows and columns, using what you've found to fill more.

Do nonograms need guessing?

Not here. Every GameLake nonogram has been checked by a solver to have one single answer that you can reach one line at a time, so you never have to guess.

What does a 0 mean in a nonogram?

A 0 means that line has no filled squares at all, so you can cross out every square in it.

Is Nonograms free to play?

Yes. Play free in your browser on phone, tablet or computer, with no download and no account. There's a new Daily picture every day.