A nonogram is a grid with numbers along the top and side. Use the numbers to work out which squares to fill, and a hidden picture appears. They are also called Picross, Griddlers or paint by numbers.
Reading the clues
Each row and column has a list of numbers. Each number is a run of filled squares in that line, in that order, with at least one empty square between runs. So “3 1” means a run of three filled squares, then a gap of one or more, then a single filled square.
A row with the clue “0” is completely empty. A clue that adds up to the whole line, like “5” on a five-square row, is completely filled.
The overlap trick
This is the move that starts almost every puzzle. Imagine a run pushed as far left as it can go, then as far right. Any squares it covers in both positions must be filled.
For example, on a row of ten squares with the clue “7”, the run covers squares 1 to 7 at its leftmost and 4 to 10 at its rightmost. Squares 4 to 7 are covered either way, so fill them. The rule of thumb: if a run is longer than half the line, its middle is certain.
Mark empty squares too
Marking squares that must stay empty is just as useful as filling. Once a row’s runs are complete, cross off the rest of it. Crosses at the edges and between runs give the next deductions their starting point.
In AmuseMind, tap fills a square and long-press (or switching to ✕ mode) marks it empty. Clues dim when their line is done, so children can see their progress.
Work back and forth
Solve a row, then look at the columns it touched, then the rows those columns touched. Each new square gives a clue to its crossing line. The puzzle unfolds a few squares at a time, and you never need to guess.
Every AmuseMind picture can be solved this way, line by line, which makes nonograms a lovely lesson in ruling things out.
Starting with children
Start on 5 × 5 grids around age seven, where the full-line and empty-line clues do much of the work. AmuseMind’s Beginner and Intermediate levels gently refuse a wrong fill, which keeps young solvers on track; from Pro up, mistakes are left for the player to find.
More tricks for bigger grids
Edges help a lot. If a filled square sits right at the start of a line and the first clue is 3, the next two squares must be filled too. Clues near the edges of the grid often finish quickly this way.
Use the largest clue first. In a line with several runs, place the longest run first, since it has the fewest possible positions. Then the smaller runs only fit in the spaces left over.
Count the gaps. If a row of 8 has the clues 4 and 3, the runs plus one gap between them use all 8 squares, so the whole row is decided. Adding up clues plus the gaps between them is a quick way to spot lines that are already fixed.
Every AmuseMind picture can be finished by these line-by-line steps alone, from the little 5 × 5 pictures for beginners up to the 12 × 12 pictures at Demon level. Seeing a cat or a rocket appear at the end is a lovely reward for careful thinking.
Questions parents ask
Is Picross the same as nonogram?
Yes. Picross, Griddlers, Hanjie and paint by numbers are all names for nonograms.
Do you have to guess in nonograms?
Not in a well-made puzzle. Every AmuseMind nonogram can be solved one line at a time by logic.
What age is nonogram for?
Small 5 × 5 puzzles suit most children from about seven.
