Nonogramplay nonogram puzzles online, free
Read the number clues on every row and column, fill the right squares, and uncover a hidden picture. Picross-style logic puzzles at 5×5, 10×10, and 15×15 — drag to fill, cross out blanks, no download, no sign-up.
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10 × 10 grid · fill the squares the row and column numbers describe
Each number is a run of filled squares — reveal the hidden picture
What is a nonogram
A picture hidden inside number clues
A nonogram — also called Picross, Griddlers, Hanjie, or Paint by Numbers — is a single-player logic puzzle. The numbers beside each row and column tell you the lengths of the runs of filled squares in that line. Work out which squares are filled by comparing the rows against the columns, and a small picture emerges. It is quick to learn, and no two puzzles solve the same way.
- Guess-free puzzles
- Every grid is verified by a logic solver before it is served, so each puzzle has one solution reachable by deduction alone — no trial and error, ever.
- Plays in your browser
- No download, no install, no plugins. playnonogram.app deals a fresh puzzle the moment the page loads, on desktop and mobile.
- Three grid sizes
- Mini 5×5 to learn the notation, Classic 10×10 for the everyday puzzle, Grand 15×15 for a longer solve. Same rules at every size.
- Progress saved locally
- Fastest solve, puzzles completed, and solve streak for each grid size are stored on your device — never on a server.
How to play
How to play nonograms
A nonogram is solved by pure deduction. The numbers on each row and column are the lengths of the filled runs in that line; you cross-reference the rows against the columns until the hidden picture appears.
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Read the clues
Every row has numbers to its left and every column has numbers above it. Each number is the length of one unbroken run of filled squares, and the numbers are listed in the order those runs appear. "4 2" on a row means a run of four filled squares, then at least one blank, then a run of two.
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Fill what is forced
Find lines where the runs can only sit one way. A clue of 8 in a 10-wide grid must cover the middle six squares no matter how it slides, so fill those. Filling one square in a row instantly narrows the column that crosses it.
- 3
Cross out the blanks
When a square cannot be filled — because no run can reach it, or its line is already complete — mark it with a cross. Crosses carry no penalty; they are how you record a deduction so a line stops fighting you.
- 4
Reveal the picture
Keep alternating between rows and columns, each fill and each cross unlocking the lines that cross it. You win the moment every filled square of the hidden picture is filled and nothing else — the crosses do not need to be complete.
Tips for a faster solve
- Start with the biggest numbers. A clue close to the length of its line has the least room to move, so it forces the most squares before you have done any cross-referencing.
- Use the overlap rule: for a run of length L in a line of length N, the middle (2L − N) squares are always filled, whichever way the run slides. It works on any single clue and is the fastest way to open a fresh grid.
- After every fill, look at the crossing line. One new filled square often turns a loose column clue into a forced one.
- Cross out aggressively. A line whose filled total already equals the sum of its clues has every other square blank — mark them and move on.
- Work edges and corners first. A run touching the end of a line is pinned there, so its position is known immediately.
- When a clue is satisfied, its label dims here — treat that as a signal to stop reading that line and spend your attention elsewhere.
- Never guess. Every fair nonogram is solvable by logic alone; if you are stuck, there is a deduction you have not spotted, usually one line over from where you are looking.
FAQ
Nonograms, answered
Straight answers about the free nonogram puzzle you can play online in your browser.
What is a nonogram?
A nonogram is a single-player picture-logic puzzle played on a blank grid. Numbers beside each row and above each column tell you the lengths of the runs of filled squares in that line. By comparing the row clues with the column clues you deduce which squares are filled, and the finished grid forms a small picture. It is pure deduction — no arithmetic beyond counting, and no guessing on a fair puzzle.
Why is it also called Picross, Griddlers, or Hanjie?
They are the same puzzle under different names. "Nonogram" and "Hanjie" come from its popularisation in Japan and the UK in the late 1980s and 1990s; "Picross" (Picture Crossword) is Nintendo's brand for its handheld versions; "Griddlers", "Paint by Numbers", and "Pic-a-Pix" are names used by various magazines and apps. The rules described here apply to all of them.
Is it free to play online?
Yes. playnonogram.app is completely free and runs entirely in your browser. There is nothing to buy, download, or install, no account, and no video ad between puzzles. Open the page and a grid is ready.
Do I need to download or install anything?
No. The game is a 100% browser-based build made with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It loads in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and other modern browsers on desktop and mobile with no plugin or app install.
What do the numbers on a nonogram mean?
Each number is the length of one unbroken run of filled squares in that row or column, and the numbers are given in the order the runs appear. A row clue of "3 1 2" means: a run of three filled squares, then one or more blanks, then a single filled square, then one or more blanks, then a run of two. There is always at least one blank square between consecutive runs.
How do you win a nonogram?
You win the instant every square that should be filled is filled, and no square that should be blank is filled. You do not have to cross out every blank square to win — crossing out is only a memory aid. When the last correct square goes in, the timer stops and the grid locks.
What does crossing out a square do?
Crossing out marks a square you have proven is blank. It has no effect on winning and no penalty; it simply records the deduction so you do not re-examine that square and so the remaining possibilities in the line are easier to read. You can clear a cross at any time.
How do I start solving a blank grid?
Look for the largest clues relative to their line length and apply the overlap rule: a run of length L in a line of length N always covers its centre 2L − N squares, wherever it sits. Fill those, then move to the rows and columns that now have a filled square in them and see what that forces. Anchoring runs against the edges of the grid is the other reliable opening.
Do nonograms always have exactly one solution?
A well-formed nonogram has exactly one solution. Every puzzle on this site is generated and then run through a logic solver that fills rows and columns by deduction only; a puzzle is used only if that solver completes it, which guarantees a single solution reachable without guessing.
Can every nonogram be solved without guessing?
The ones here can. Some randomly generated nonograms elsewhere contain positions that need trial and error, but this site rejects any puzzle its line-logic solver cannot finish, so if you are stuck the deduction exists — usually in a line that crosses the one you are staring at.
What grid sizes are there?
Three: Mini (5×5), Classic (10×10), and Grand (15×15). The rules are identical at every size; larger grids have longer clue strings and longer chains of deduction. Classic is selected by default and fits a phone screen. You switch size from the control above the board.
Can I play nonograms on my phone?
Yes. Tap a square to fill it, tap again to clear it, and drag across squares to fill a run. To cross out blanks, turn on the mark toggle below the board so taps place crosses. Mini and Classic fit a phone screen without scrolling; Grand pans within its frame so the squares stay large enough to tap.
Does the game save my progress and best times?
Your fastest solve for each grid size, the number of puzzles you have started and solved, and your current and best solve streaks are saved locally in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server and there is no login. Because the record lives on the device, a different phone, a new browser profile, or cleared site data will look like a fresh start.