Guide

What Is a Nonogram?

A short introduction for anyone who has seen picross grids and wants to know how they actually work.

ContentsThe basic idea How clues work What the picture reveals Where to start

The basic idea

A nonogram is a picture logic puzzle on a grid. The numbers beside each row and above each column tell you how many cells to fill and in what order. Fill the right cells and a small pixel-art picture appears.

How clues work

A single clue of "5" means five filled cells in a row with no gaps. A clue of "2 1" means two filled cells, at least one empty cell, then one more filled cell — always in that left-to-right (or top-to-bottom) order.

What the picture reveals

Every nonogram has exactly one correct solution. Once every row clue and every column clue is satisfied, the filled cells form a simple image — an animal, an object, a familiar symbol.

Where to start

10x10 grids and easy puzzles are the friendliest way in. Once the rhythm feels natural, step up to 15x15 or 20x20 boards for more detail and longer clue chains.

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