Nonograms is part of Higgster’s Games Compendium, a free app of 22+ games available for android and ios devices.
Looking for a puzzle that’s equal parts logic, deduction, and satisfying reveal? Say hello to Nonograms. Also known as Picross, Griddlers, or Picture Cross, this classic puzzle challenges you to uncover a hidden image by filling in a grid — one square at a time.
What Is a Nonogram?
A Nonogram is a grid-based logic puzzle where each square is either filled or left blank. The catch? You don’t get to see the pattern in advance. Instead, you use the numbers along the top and sides of the grid to figure out which squares to fill in.
How to Play Nonograms
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:
- Look at the numbers.
Every row and column has a sequence of numbers. These tell you how many filled squares appear in that order, with at least one empty square between each group. For example:- A row labeled “4 2” means: 4 filled squares, a gap, then 2 filled squares.
- A column labeled “7” means: 7 filled squares in a row, with no gaps.
- Start with what you know.
If a row is 10 squares wide and labeled “10,” you can fill in the whole row.
If it’s labeled “1 1” in a row of 3 squares, you know it must be: filled, blank, filled. - Use logic to narrow things down.
- Count from both sides to see overlapping squares.
- Use ? to mark the ones you’re unsure of. (Click a square twice)
- Use Xs to mark squares you’re certain are blank — just as important as knowing what to fill. (Click a square three times)
- Continue until the whole grid is solved.
Once you’ve filled all the correct squares and left the right ones blank, the picture is complete — and the puzzle is solved!
Tips for Solving Nonograms
- Start with big numbers.
Large numbers (or numbers close to the grid’s width) are the easiest to place. - Work back and forth.
Solve what you can in rows, then switch to columns — each move gives you more clues. - Mark blanks clearly.
Use the ? and Xs wisely to track your thoughts. - Stay organized.
Keep your logic clean — don’t guess randomly. Every filled square should be based on the clues.
Nonograms is available as part of Higgster’s Games Compendium, with no adverts, downloadable for all Apple and Android tablets and Phones.
