How to solve nonograms
Watch a real puzzle being solved one line at a time. Every step shows which row or column is used and why.
The highlighted line is the one being used. New filled squares are colored, and new X marks show squares that must be empty.
The idea in four lines
- Each number is a run. A clue of 3 1 means three filled squares in a row, then at least one empty square, then one filled square.
- Slack is spare room. Add the numbers and the gaps between them, then subtract from the line length. That is the slack.
- Big runs overlap. A run longer than the slack always covers some squares. Fill those.
- Finished lines get X marks. When a line has all its squares found, cross out the rest, then move to the crossing lines.
Common patterns
- Clue equals the line length: fill everything.
- Clue 0: cross out everything.
- One big clue: in a line of 10 with a single 7, the middle 4 squares are always filled.
- Clue touching an edge: if a square at the end of a line is filled, the first run must start there.
Try it yourself
GRIDS: daily nonogram
GRIDS gives you one picture a day, in 5x5 and 7x7 sizes made for phones.
Play GRIDSQuestions
How do you solve a nonogram?
Look at one row or column at a time. Add up its clue numbers and the gaps between them. That tells you which squares must be filled no matter how the runs slide, and which squares must be empty. Repeat across rows and columns until the picture appears.
Where do I start?
With the biggest clues. A clue that fills most of a line forces squares in the middle. A clue of the full length or 0 solves a line at once.
Should I guess?
No. Every good nonogram can be solved by logic alone. If you feel you need to guess, look again for a line where known squares and the clue leave only one possibility.
What do the X marks mean?
They mark squares that are definitely empty. They do not count in the solution, but they help you see what is left.
What is a picross?
Picross is another name for a nonogram, used by a well-known game series. The rules are the same.