Picross (Nonogram) – Play Single-Solution Puzzles or Make Your Own
Use the numbers beside each row and column to work out which squares to fill and reveal the picture. Each number is the length of an unbroken run of filled squares in that line. Every puzzle you are given has exactly one solution, so you can solve it by logic alone, with no guessing. You can also turn your own drawing or an image into a puzzle. Looking for more puzzles? Try the Maze Generator or the Word Search Generator.
🔒 Runs in your browser · Your data is never sent to a server
How to use
- In "Play", pick a board size and a puzzle appears. Press "New puzzle" to get a different one.
- Use the row and column numbers to decide which squares are black, then click (or drag) to fill them. Squares you know are white can be crossed out with "× mark".
- When every number is satisfied the puzzle is complete. If you get stuck, press "Reset" to start over or "Show solution" to see the answer.
- To make your own, switch to "Create", then paint squares to draw a picture or load an image. Press "Play this picture" to play a puzzle made from it.
Notes
- Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing, including images, is sent to a server.
- Puzzles in "Play" are only ever ones whose numbers lead to exactly one solution, so logic is enough and no guessing is needed (though sparse areas may need you to think a few steps ahead).
- A puzzle made in "Create" may have more than one solution. The result of the check is shown, and even then the puzzle counts as complete once every number is satisfied.
- Dark areas of an image become black squares, so solid logos and black-and-white illustrations work best. Photos tend to lose their outlines and often have multiple solutions.
- There is no save or share feature. Reloading the page clears the puzzle and your drawing.
- The board is designed for mouse and touch input; right-click also places a × mark. From the keyboard you can use the buttons such as "New puzzle" and "Reset".
Glossary
Picross / Nonogram
A logic puzzle in which you fill squares of a grid using the numbers beside each row and column, revealing a picture. It is also sold as Griddlers, Hanjie or Paint by Numbers. The numbers give the length of each unbroken run of filled squares, in order from top (or left).
Clue numbers
A clue of "3 1" means a run of three filled squares followed, after at least one empty square, by a run of one. A line with no filled squares is written as "0".
Unique solution
The clues are satisfied by exactly one picture. A puzzle without a unique solution leaves squares that logic cannot decide, so the answer would vary by player. The puzzles here are checked by counting solutions to confirm there is only one.
× mark (white square)
A mark for a square you know is not black. It does not affect the answer but helps you keep track of your deductions.
FAQ
Do the puzzles really have exactly one solution?
Yes. Before a puzzle is shown, the tool counts the pictures that satisfy the row and column clues and confirms there is exactly one. You can therefore solve it by logic alone, with no guessing.
How do I read the numbers?
Each number is the length of an unbroken run of black squares in that row or column, listed from top (or left). For example "2 1" means a run of two black squares and then a run of one, with at least one white square between them. "0" means the line has no black squares.
My own puzzle says it has more than one solution. Why?
Some pictures share their clues with a different picture (two squares placed diagonally, for instance). You can still play it, but it may be completed with a picture different from the one you drew. Adding or removing a few squares usually makes the solution unique.
My image loads as all black or all white. What can I do?
The image is shrunk to the chosen board size and dark areas become black squares. A photo that is dark or bright overall can end up nearly one color. Try a logo or illustration with a white background and clear black shapes.
Can a 15×15 puzzle take a while to appear?
The tool repeatedly makes and checks pictures until it finds one with a single solution. It is usually instant, but on some devices you may wait briefly.
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