Puzzle Games
How to play Nonogram
Deduce filled and empty cells from the ordered run lengths beside each row and column. Completion must satisfy every line, not just resemble a picture.
What you need
A grid with row/column clues, pencil and eraser or a puzzle app
Set up the game
- Read row clues left to right and column clues top to bottom.
- Distinguish filled, confirmed empty and still-unknown cells.
Playing Nonogram
- Each number describes one consecutive filled run. Multiple numbers give separate runs in order.
- Separate runs by at least one empty square.
- Find full lines or overlap between earliest and latest possible placements.
- Use each deduction in its crossing lines, including confirmed empty cells.
- Finish when every row and column matches. App timers and penalties are separate from these logic rules.
The gap does the work
A seven-cell row has clues 3,3. Three filled cells, one required empty and three filled consume the whole line: fill 1–3 and 5–7, mark 4 empty. A clue 2,2 leaves two extra spaces, so copying the same centered pattern there would be a guess.
An overlap is a partial deduction
In a five-cell line with clue 3, the run can start at cell 1, 2 or 3. Cell 3 is filled in all three placements. Fill that cell, but leave cells 1 and 5 unknown. Check the middle cell’s column for new information. Turning a proved overlap into an assumed complete run is an easy way to make a small error spread.
Beginner decisions
- Count mandatory gaps: in seven cells, 3,3 has only one placement.
- Once a run is fixed, inspect whether its ends must be empty; those separators can unlock columns.
Common rule mix-ups
- Treating 2,1 as one run of three.
- Using apparent picture symmetry as proof.
Questions about this game
Can runs touch diagonally?
Yes; required gaps apply within rows and columns.
Does 3 specify the starting square?
No. Intersections determine the location.
Sources and edition notes
Black-and-white rectangular nonograms. Color nonograms and Mega Picross require additional rules.
Sources and stated format checked October 14, 2026. This records a document check, not a claim of hands-on testing.
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