Nonogram tips
A quick-reference cheat sheet for solving nonograms well. Each tip below is the short version — tap through to the full guide when you want the reasoning, worked examples, and the exact deductions behind it. If you're brand new, start with the rules and work down; if you already play, skim for the one habit you're missing.
- 1
Learn the rules cold before anything else.
Every number is one unbroken run of filled squares; multiple numbers are separate runs, in order, with a gap between them.
Nonogram rules → - 2
Start where the clues leave no choice.
Sweep for lines you can complete immediately, and never open with a guess — the forced square is always there somewhere.
How to start → - 3
Use the overlap trick on long runs.
Slide a run to each end of its line; any square it covers both times is guaranteed filled. The longer the run, the bigger the overlap.
The overlap method → - 4
Work the edges and corners first.
Runs have the least room to move at the borders, so a filled or empty edge square often anchors a whole run.
Edge solving → - 5
Mark empty squares, not just filled ones.
An ✕ tells the crossing lines where a run can't go — it's information, and skipping it is the most common way to stall.
Marking empty cells → - 6
Cap a run the moment it's complete.
When a run hits its clue length, mark the squares touching each end empty — those caps feed the perpendicular lines.
Completed blocks → - 7
Never guess on a fair puzzle.
A well-made nonogram has exactly one solution reachable by logic; if you feel stuck, there's a deduction you've missed, not a coin to flip.
Why the solution is unique → - 8
Avoid the classic beginner slips.
Don't forget the mandatory gaps, don't read a clue's numbers out of order, and re-check each finished line against its clue.
Common mistakes → - 9
Keep switching between rows and columns.
Progress comes from the back-and-forth: fill what the rows give you, then use those squares as fresh clues for the columns.
How to start → - 10
Don't judge difficulty by size alone.
How deep the deductions go matters more than how big the grid is — a small puzzle can be trickier than a large one.
What makes a nonogram hard →