Nonogram FAQ
Quick answers to the questions people ask most about nonograms — and about how this site works. New to the puzzle entirely? Start with how to play.
What do the numbers in a nonogram mean?
The numbers beside each row and above each column list the lengths of the runs of filled cells in that line, in order. A clue of 2 3 means: two filled cells together, then a gap of at least one empty cell, then three filled cells together. A clue of 0 means the line is completely empty.
Can a nonogram have multiple solutions?
Yes — badly constructed ones can. Nothing in the rules forces the clues to describe exactly one picture, and sparse or symmetric designs often have several valid fills. Every puzzle on this site is machine-verified to have exactly one solution, so an ambiguous puzzle can never appear here.
Do I ever have to guess?
Not on this site. Each puzzle is checked with a line solver that uses only the same row-and-column logic a human uses. If the solver can complete the grid, so can you — there is always a logical next step somewhere on the board.
Are nonograms the same as picross and griddlers?
Yes. Nonogram, picross, griddlers, hanjie, paint-by-numbers and pic-a-pix are all names for the same puzzle. Picross is Nintendo’s name for it; griddlers and hanjie are common in puzzle magazines; nonogram (after puzzle designer Non Ishida) is the most widely used generic name.
How should I start a large puzzle?
Look for full lines first (clues that account for the whole line), then apply the overlap technique to the biggest clues — push each run as far left and as far right as it can go, and fill the cells covered in both extremes. Mark empty cells with an × as you deduce them; completed lines anchor the lines that cross them.
How are the bronze, silver and gold tiers different?
Each tier is a meta-puzzle whose cells are revealed by solving individual nonograms. Bronze holds the 16 easiest puzzles, silver 25 medium ones, and gold the 36 hardest. Difficulty is measured by how hard a logic solver has to work, not just by grid size — a dense 13×13 can be easier than a sparse 7×7.
Is this site free? Do I need an account?
Completely free, no account, no ads. Your progress is saved in your browser’s local storage, so it stays on your device.