A Logic Puzzle That Reveals a Picture

A nonogram is a grid-based logic puzzle where you fill in cells according to numeric clues to reveal a hidden picture. Each row and column has a set of numbers telling you how many consecutive filled cells (blocks) appear in that line, and in what order.

Unlike crosswords or trivia games, nonograms require zero outside knowledge. Everything you need to solve the puzzle is right there in the numbers. If you enjoy Sudoku, you’ll feel at home with nonograms — both rely on pure deductive reasoning.

How Nonograms Work

Take a simple 5×5 grid. Each row has clues on the left side, and each column has clues on the top.

A clue of 3 means there are exactly 3 consecutive filled cells somewhere in that line. A clue of 1 2 means there is a block of 1 filled cell, then at least one empty cell, then a block of 2 filled cells — in that exact order.

The Basic Rules

Fill cells or mark them empty — every cell is either filled (shaded) or empty
Blocks must appear in order — the clue “2 1” means the block of 2 comes before the block of 1
At least one gap between blocks — consecutive blocks within a row must be separated by at least one empty cell
Every clue must be satisfied — you cannot leave out any block listed in the clue
No guessing required — a well-designed nonogram has exactly one solution reachable through logic alone

A Quick Example

Consider a 5-cell row with the clue 3 1:

Block of 3, at least 1 gap, block of 1
The minimum space needed: 3 + 1 (gap) + 1 = 5
Since the row is exactly 5 cells, there’s only one possibility: ■■■ ○ ■

When a clue fills the entire row like this, you can solve it immediately. Spotting these “full rows” is one of the first skills beginners develop.

Why Are They Called Nonograms?

The name comes from Non Ishida, a Japanese graphic designer who invented the puzzle in 1987 after being inspired by the pattern of lit windows in a skyscraper. Around the same time, puzzle author Tetsuya Nishio independently developed a similar concept.

You’ll also hear nonograms called:

Picross — Nintendo’s brand name (Picture + Crossword)
Griddlers — popular in British newspapers
Hanjie — used in some UK publications
Paint by Numbers — a descriptive English name
Logic Art — emphasizing the creative result

They’re all the same core puzzle. The variety of names reflects how widely nonograms spread across different cultures.

Why People Love Nonograms

The satisfaction of revelation

Unlike Sudoku, where you end up with a grid of numbers, a completed nonogram reveals an actual image. A dog, a house, a spaceship — the picture emerges cell by cell as you solve. That moment of recognition is uniquely rewarding.

Accessible but deep

A 5×5 nonogram takes 30 seconds. A 25×25 puzzle can take an hour. The rules never change — only the grid grows. This means you can start solving immediately and spend years mastering larger, more complex puzzles.

No language barrier

Nonograms use only numbers. They work identically in every language, which is why they’re popular worldwide — from Japanese puzzle magazines to Korean mobile apps to British newspapers.

Getting Started

The best way to learn is to solve a few small puzzles. Start with 5×5 grids where many rows have large clues (like 5 or 3 1), since those are the easiest to reason about.

noguelike.com offers a roguelike twist on nonograms — you solve puzzles to fight monsters in a dungeon. It starts with simple 5×5 grids, making it a great way to learn while having fun with an RPG progression system.

What’s Next?

Once you’re comfortable with 5×5 puzzles, the key technique to learn is the overlap method — comparing the leftmost and rightmost possible positions of a block to find cells that must be filled regardless. This single technique unlocks the majority of nonogram solving.

Nonograms are one of those rare puzzles where the rules fit in a paragraph but the depth lasts a lifetime. Pick up a grid and start filling cells — you might be surprised how quickly it clicks.