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Nonogram — is a logic puzzle, also known by the names Picross, Griddlers, Hanjie, Japanese Crosswords. Unlike classic crosswords, it does not conceal a word but an image — from a simple pattern to a pixel scene — which the player uncovers by filling squares according to numerical clues. The game is engaging because, during the solving process, simple numbers gradually transform into a meaningful visual result.

Nonograms do not require knowledge of languages or cultural contexts — it is a language-independent puzzle, understandable to anyone familiar with numbers. Thanks to this universality, the Nonogram has taken a special place in the world of logic games and has become an international hit, comparable in popularity to sudoku and classic crosswords. Appearing in the late 1980s, it quickly gained fans around the world and firmly entered the cultural repertoire of puzzle enthusiasts.

History of the Nonogram

Origin of the puzzle in Japan

Nonograms originated relatively recently — in the late 1980s in Japan. Two people, independently of each other, claim the invention of this puzzle. The first was the Japanese graphic editor Non Ishida (石田 のん), who in 1987 participated in an unusual Tokyo competition for the best image created using skyscraper windows. In her work, Ishida «drew» a picture by turning lights on and off in the windows of the building, and won first place. This victory inspired her with the idea of a logic game: she realized that a similar principle could be applied on paper by shading squares in a grid. Already in 1988, Ishida published the first three puzzles of this kind under the name Window Art Puzzles.

Almost simultaneously, professional puzzle constructor Tetsuya Nishio (西尾 徹也) developed his own version of the same idea. Nishio released his first problems in another magazine and called them お絵かきロジック (Oekaki Logic) — which translates as «painting with logic» or «logic art». His version also spread in the Japanese press and quickly took its place in the emerging genre. The name proposed by Nishio took root in Japan and is still used in some specialized publications. Thus, the first Nonograms (then still under different names) appeared on the pages of Japanese print media.

First steps and spread

Initially, the new puzzles did not immediately attract wide attention in their homeland. The rules differed from familiar pastimes, and not everyone understood how to solve them. However, soon a fortunate coincidence helped Nonograms reach the world stage. In 1989, Non Ishida introduced her puzzles to British enthusiast James Dalgety — a collector and researcher of logic games. Dalgety saw the potential of the game and made an agreement with Ishida to promote the puzzle outside Japan.

It was James Dalgety who came up with the name Nonogram for the new puzzle — combining the author’s nickname Non and part of the word diagram (with a hint of a drawing or scheme). In 1990, he persuaded the influential British newspaper The Daily Telegraph to publish these puzzles regularly. From the summer of 1990, Nonograms began to appear weekly in the Sunday edition — The Sunday Telegraph. This was the world’s first regular publication of Nonograms in the press and marked the beginning of the game’s international popularity.

Worldwide recognition in the 1990s

Thanks to the British press, the Japanese «paintings by numbers» became known all over the world. By 1993, the puzzle had triumphantly returned to its homeland: one of Japan’s largest newspapers, 毎日新聞 (The Mainichi Shimbun), inspired by the success in England, began publishing Nonograms in its pages. That same year, Ishida released the first Nonogram book in Japan, and in the United Kingdom Pan Books published The Sunday Telegraph Book of Nonograms, a collection of puzzles from the newspaper.

In the following years, the game’s popularity grew rapidly: by 1995 the fourth collection of Nonograms from The Sunday Telegraph had been released, and the puzzles began to be printed in magazines and newspapers all over the world. Magazine series entirely dedicated to this Japanese puzzle appeared.

In Japan, major publishers such as Gakken and Sekaibunkasha began to publish specialized magazines devoted to these puzzles, which greatly contributed to the growing interest in the genre within the country. Over time, foreign companies began to acquire the rights to publish Japanese materials, and Nonograms began to appear in a variety of formats — from newspaper sections to full magazines and collections.

In the first half of the 1990s, these puzzles began to be published in the Netherlands, Sweden, the USA, South Africa and other countries. By the end of the decade, the geography of distribution had expanded significantly: in 1997, the Israeli company Nikoli Rosh began publishing Nonograms in the Middle East. Around the same time, publications with these puzzles began appearing in Brazil, Poland, the Czech Republic, South Korea and Australia. The expansion of coverage was accompanied by increased print runs and new formats, which finally secured the Nonogram as an international logic game.

One of the important stages of popularization was the gaming industry. In 1995, Nintendo released several video games in Japan in the Picross series (short for «picture crossword»), which used the principle of the Nonogram. The most famous was Mario’s Picross for the portable Game Boy console — it was also the only one of the series released outside Japan, in the USA. Thus, millions of players became acquainted with the new puzzle through video games.

After Nintendo, others took up the idea: electronic pocket puzzle toys and even arcade machines appeared. In 1996, the arcade game Logic Pro was released in Japan, entirely based on solving Nonograms, and a year later — its sequel. These machines became part of gaming history (today they are emulated through MAME as examples of retro gaming). By the end of the 1990s, Nonograms had finally cemented their status as an international hit.

Nonograms in the new millennium

In 1998, The Sunday Telegraph decided to hold a reader competition to find a new name for the beloved puzzle. At that time, the newspaper’s collaboration with Non Ishida had ended, and there was a need for its own brand. The winning word was Griddler («grid-based»), which since then has been used in England alongside the term Nonogram.

In 1999, the well-known puzzle publisher Puzzler Media (formerly BEAP) launched two periodical magazines in the United Kingdom with these puzzles under the Japanese name Hanjie (判じ絵) — which can be translated as «to judge from the picture». Separate issues of Hanjie with small puzzles and Super Hanjie — with large, detailed images — were published. That same year, dedicated magazine series with Japanese crosswords began to appear in the Netherlands and several other European countries.

The early 2000s saw even greater growth in popularity. The first regular monthly editions entirely dedicated to Nonograms appeared: in 2000, the British magazine Tsunami became the first monthly collection of Japanese crosswords. In the United States, Sterling Publishing released two Nonogram books — Perplexing Pixel Puzzles and Mind Sharpening Pixel Puzzles. That same year, the Dutch magazine Japanse Puzzels XXL was launched, offering especially large-format puzzles.

At the turn of the millennium, Nonograms had definitively evolved from a niche pastime into an established part of global logic game culture. By 2001, special issues with Nonograms were already being published in France, Finland and Hungary. In these countries, their own regular series were launched, designed with local traditions of logic game presentation in mind: in France, particular attention was given to the elegant design of the grid and the visual completeness of the drawings, while in Finland the puzzles were clearly divided by difficulty levels, making learning the game especially systematic.

At the same time, Nonograms increasingly appeared in general puzzle magazines in many countries. In Italy and Spain, they began to be included regularly in logic game sections alongside sudoku, as a visual alternative to numerical tasks. In Russia and Eastern Europe, they appeared as Japanese crosswords in newspaper supplements, thematic weeklies and special puzzle collections, where they quickly gained a firm place.

In many publications, Nonograms became a permanent section, sometimes even highlighted on the cover as a central feature. Thanks to this format, the game experienced a second wave of spread — through readers who were not initially familiar with Japanese puzzles but became interested in them in the context of other, more familiar tasks. As a result of this reach, Nonograms firmly established themselves among the leading logic games of the early 21st century.

Clubs and communities of solvers developed especially actively. In Japan and the United Kingdom, hobby groups began to form where participants discussed strategies, shared favorite issues, took part in speed-solving championships or published their own amateur bulletins. Similar groups existed in Germany, the Czech Republic and Finland. Puzzle collections from such meetings sometimes entered commercial sale, and in some countries even became the basis for author magazines.

Since the early 2000s, Nonograms have increasingly been used in education as a tool for developing logical thinking and attentiveness. Mathematics and computer science teachers incorporated them into courses, especially when studying topics related to algorithms, the coordinate plane and binary logic. In some countries — for example, the Netherlands, Finland and Israel — special workbooks adapted to school programs were created. This approach not only expanded the puzzle’s audience but also gave it an additional educational status.

Over time, from the classic black-and-white Nonogram, a whole set of related games emerged. In addition to colored versions, there appeared diagonal Nonograms, triangular and hexagonal grids, as well as puzzles with asymmetric rules. Some of them assume that part of the clues is hidden or given only during the game. Such variations expand the genre and allow the use of more complex reasoning methods, making the game interesting even for experienced solvers.

Today, Nonograms are firmly embedded in global game culture: special or mixed editions with these puzzles are regularly published in more than 35 countries, including Japan, the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and many others. In Japan alone, more than ten different magazines dedicated entirely to this puzzle are currently published, not to mention numerous books and electronic applications. Nonograms have successfully migrated from newspaper pages to computers and mobile devices: there are hundreds of online platforms and apps where millions of users solve these puzzles every day. Thus, in just a few decades, the Nonogram has gone from a local curiosity to a recognized international phenomenon in the world of intellectual games.

Interesting facts about Nonograms

• The first public puzzle — on a skyscraper. The first Nonogram presented to the public was a light installation on a building. At the 1987 Window Art contest, Non Ishida «told» the legend of the bamboo cutter — an ancient Japanese myth — using the windows. The lights formed a picture on the facade of the skyscraper, essentially becoming the prototype of the modern Nonogram. This origin story makes the Nonogram unique among puzzles.
• The first electronic Nonogram appeared on Japanese NEC PC-9800 home computers. Long before Mario’s Picross, Japan already had computer versions of Nonograms in the early 1990s for the NEC PC-9800 systems — popular home computers. These programs were little known outside the country, but they laid the foundation for the interface and logic of future versions.
• The largest printed Nonogram was more than 300×300 squares. Some enthusiasts and publishers created giant Nonograms — essentially poster-sized. For example, the company Conceptis published in a special issue a puzzle of 320×320 squares, which was meant to be solved in parts.
• Nonograms are studied in the context of NP-completeness in computational complexity theory. From a logical point of view, the solvability of a generalized Nonogram (of arbitrary size) belongs to the class of NP-complete problems — that is, theoretically hard to compute. This makes Nonograms not only entertaining but also an academically interesting subject in the field of algorithms and artificial intelligence.
• Alternative names. In different countries, Nonograms are known by local names reflecting both linguistic features and cultural associations. In Russian-speaking regions, they are often called Japanese crosswords, emphasizing the country of origin. In the English-speaking world, in addition to the general term Nonogram, the variants Griddlers (in the UK) and Hanjie are widespread. Japanese authors often use the name お絵かきパズル (Oekaki Pazuru) — «drawing puzzle». Terms such as Paint by Numbers (in English-speaking countries, though less common due to confusion with coloring books), Picross (a Nintendo trademark), Picture Logic, Logic Art, Pic-a-Pix and others are also found. This variety of names reflects the puzzle’s wide geography and cultural adaptation.
• There are colored Nonograms. Most classic Nonograms are black and white, but there is a separate genre — colored Nonograms, where each clue has its own color and the squares are filled accordingly. This complicates the logic, as one must consider the sequence of color groups and the separators between groups of different colors. Nintendo actively developed the colored format in the Picross DS, Picross 3D and other game series.
• Nonograms are firmly included in international puzzle competitions. At the World Puzzle Championship, this type of task is often included in the category of grid drawings, where participants compete in speed and accuracy. Some enthusiasts set unofficial records by solving particularly large puzzles — for example, Japanese crosswords of 100×100 squares or more, which can take many hours. There are also puzzles of extreme difficulty that only the most experienced solvers can complete. All this confirms the status of the Nonogram as a serious intellectual challenge.

The path of the Nonogram is a vivid example of how an intellectual game can become a global cultural phenomenon. Born from the simple idea of «painting with logic», this puzzle has managed to overcome linguistic and geographical barriers and gain fans on all continents. Today, Nonograms are published in magazines, books and electronic formats, and are solved by people of all ages and professions. This game is valued because it develops thinking, imagination and perseverance, and brings pleasure from the process of searching and gradually revealing the hidden picture or pattern. The Nonogram has rightly become a «living classic» in the world of puzzles — alongside crosswords, sudoku and other timeless games for the mind.

Once you understand the rules of the Nonogram, feel the rhythm of solving and confidently shade the first square. At first glance, the Nonogram may seem simple, but as you solve it, it reveals the depth of logical analysis that requires concentration, accuracy and a systematic approach. The consistent application of the rules leads to a precise result that completes the logical chain of reasoning. Thanks to this combination of accessibility and intellectual richness, the Nonogram deservedly maintains its status as a classic logic puzzle, with interest that does not fade over time.

Nonogram — is a Japanese logic puzzle where you need to gradually reconstruct an image using numerical clues. Unlike classic crosswords, here you do not guess words but, through logical analysis, reconstruct a picture — sometimes meaningful, sometimes abstract. The solution is always based on logic and requires no guessing, which makes the game interesting for both beginners and experienced players. This combination of analysis, concentration, and visual result makes the Nonogram one of the most captivating logic games.

Puzzles come in different sizes and levels of difficulty — from simple 5×5 to giant grids. Some can be solved in a few minutes, while others may take hours or even days. The process is engaging, as step by step a meaningful pixel image emerges from the chaos of numbers. Nonograms are valued for their meditative, engaging gameplay: they combine logical thinking and creativity, providing many hours of intellectual and aesthetic enjoyment.

How a Nonogram is structured

What is a Nonogram

It is a puzzle played on a grid where each cell can either be filled or left empty. The goal of the game — to fill the correct cells and leave the others empty to obtain a complete picture. For this, numerical clues are placed along the edges of the grid: numbers are shown to the left of each row and, usually, above each column. These numbers indicate how many consecutive cells must be filled in the corresponding row or column. For example, the clue «4-1-3» for a row means that first comes a block of 4 filled cells, then — after at least one empty cell — a block of 1 cell, and then, again with at least one empty space, a block of 3 cells.

Very important: blocks in a row or column are always separated by at least one empty cell — otherwise, they would merge into a single block. The numerical clues indicate the length of the blocks and are listed in the same order as the blocks appear on the grid: left to right for rows and top to bottom for columns.

How a Nonogram is solved

The player must, based on the numerical clues, logically determine which cells should be filled. At the start, the grid is empty, and the puzzle is solved step by step: you analyze rows and columns, excluding impossible block placements. The solution is always unique, and a properly designed Nonogram requires no guessing — every move must be logically justified.

This is the key difference between Japanese crosswords and many other logic games: there is no place for intuitive guesses or random attempts. This strict condition makes the Nonogram especially appealing — both to beginners and to experienced puzzle enthusiasts.

Below is an example of a typical Nonogram solving process:

• Start with rows and columns where the numerical clues almost completely determine block placement. Look for rows or columns where the clues «fill» almost the entire line. For example, if a row of length 10 has the single clue «10» — fill all 10 cells immediately (the row is completely filled). If the sum of the numbers and the minimum spaces equals the row length — the position of each block is unambiguously determined. For example, for a row of length 5 with the clues «1-1-1» (three blocks of one cell each), the only possible arrangement — alternating: filled, empty, filled, empty, filled. Thus, the entire row is uniquely determined. In less trivial cases, the overlap method is applied: if a block cannot move along the row without losing part of itself, its central cells can be marked. For example, with a length of 5 and a clue of 3, a block of three cells will always occupy the middle cell — it can be filled right away. In this way, you mark guaranteed filled cells in some places and guaranteed empty ones in others.
• Mark empty cells around filled blocks. When you have filled a consecutive group of cells indicated by a number, place crosses (or dots) on both sides of this block to show its boundaries. These cells must remain empty, since blocks are always separated by at least one empty cell. Marking empty cells is just as important as filling the required ones: crosses prevent you from mistakenly «splitting» blocks or filling extra cells. For example, if a row has «4» and you filled four consecutive cells, immediately mark the empty cells on both sides of the block (if they are within the row) — these are its boundaries.
• Check intersections with other lines. Every time you fill a new cell, pay attention to the corresponding intersecting line — if a cell is filled in a row, check its column, and vice versa. Such a cell partially satisfies the numerical clue and thereby narrows the possible block positions in that line. For example, if you filled the third cell in a column, this affects the placement of blocks in it: the available space for other blocks becomes smaller. The same applies to empty cells — marking an «empty» clearly indicates that no block in the intersecting row or column can pass through that position. Step by step, filling some lines provides clues for others. It is useful to review all rows and columns in turn — almost always there will be a move you might have missed.
• Repeat the analysis until completion. Continue alternating between scanning rows and columns, filling obvious cells and marking empty ones. Starting with the most restrictive clues, you will gradually gain new insights and be able to solve more complex areas. When all the numbers on the edges are satisfied, the puzzle is solved — a complete picture appears on the grid. In a correctly designed Nonogram, no contradictions remain, and all clues converge into a single solution.

Varieties and extended formats

Classic Nonograms — are black and white, where a filled cell is always of a single color (usually black). There are also colored Nonograms: in these, the numbers are given in different colors, and each number indicates not only the length of the block but also its color. The separation rule applies only to blocks of the same color — blocks of different colors can stand right next to each other without an empty cell in between. The result is colorful pictures.

Another popular format — three-dimensional Nonograms, where the puzzle is set on a cube or a 3D grid. The principle is the same, but the player «carves» a pixelated figure out of a mass of cubes based on numerical clues in three dimensions. Such 3D puzzles have spread in the form of video games (for example, the Picross 3D series by Nintendo) and allow players to «sculpt» a three-dimensional model by removing all unnecessary cubes.

In printed Japanese magazines and on online platforms, you can find a variety of variations: from puzzles laid out on three-dimensional surfaces to especially large, multi-page Nonograms consisting of a series of interconnected grids. Some of them require not only logical thinking but also a considerable amount of time, patience, and focus. Nevertheless, the basic principles remain unchanged — everything is built on the step-by-step logical reconstruction of the hidden image using numerical clues placed along the edges of the grid.

Tips for beginner players

Tactical approaches

• Start with large blocks and long rows. First, solve rows and columns with the largest numbers in the clues. Large sequences often allow you to fill cells immediately using the overlap method. Also, do not ignore rows where the sum of all numbers and minimum spaces is almost equal to the length — there is little room for variation. Choose such lines and fill them as much as possible; this creates a starting base for further solving.
• Go through all lines in turn. One effective strategy when solving a Nonogram — is to regularly and sequentially go through all rows and columns, even if some have already been checked. Over time, the picture on the grid changes, and lines that previously offered no moves may «open up» thanks to changes in other parts of the grid. Do not rely on intuition when choosing a direction — stick to a rhythmic review of all lines: top to bottom, left to right, and vice versa. This structure not only helps maintain control over progress but also protects against typical mistakes — for example, when a player focuses too much on one area and misses obvious moves elsewhere. A methodical review helps maintain overall pace and increases the likelihood of noticing important details.
• Mark empty spaces with crosses. Marking empty cells is just as important a part of the strategy as filling them. Put a cross (or a dot) in every cell that logically cannot be filled — for example, separators between already placed blocks or cells clearly outside the possible block range. This marking clears the field for review and prevents you from accidentally overfilling.
• Use intersecting clues. As soon as you determine a filled or empty cell, immediately take it into account in the intersecting line. Each new mark is not an isolated action but part of a whole logical system. For example, after filling a cell in a row, review the corresponding column: the new information may limit block placements and suggest the next move. The same is true the other way around. This cross-analysis tactic — from row to column and back — is one of the key techniques. Step by step, you progress through the grid, revealing the picture as if from different sides at once. This method not only speeds up the solving process but also makes it more reliable, helping avoid mistaken guesses and ensuring the solution is logically consistent.

Typical beginner mistakes

• Guessing without logic. The main mistake — trying to place cells randomly. It is important to remember: Nonograms do not allow guessing! Every move must be logically justified. A single error can distort the entire subsequent solution and lead to a dead end. Experienced puzzle creators always design Nonograms so that they can be solved through deduction, without the need for guessing. Therefore, instead of guessing, it is better to look for an alternative path or switch to another part of the grid.
• Ignoring empty cells. Some beginners focus only on filling and do not mark empty spaces with crosses. As a result, it is easy to lose track of block boundaries. Without marking obviously empty cells, a beginner risks overfilling and breaking the rule of block separation. Make it a habit to put crosses wherever filling is no longer possible — this way, you protect yourself from accidental mistakes.
• Moving on to complex puzzles too quickly. Beginners should start with simple or medium-sized Nonograms. A mistake — tackling very large or colored puzzles right away without mastering the basics. This can lead to frustration. It is recommended to first practice on small grids, learn the basic logical techniques, and only then move on to more challenging tasks.
• Lack of system. Randomly filling cells is one of the typical beginner mistakes. With a chaotic approach, it is easy to miss important dependencies between clues: the solution becomes fragmented, and some possibilities are simply overlooked. Instead, try to act consistently and systematically. For example, after carefully analyzing all rows, move on to columns, then back to rows — and so on in a cycle. Such a methodical approach helps maintain overall control and ensures that no critical sections are overlooked.

Strategies for experienced players

• Combining multiple clues. In complex Nonograms, simple overlapping may not be enough. Advanced solvers analyze sets of conditions. For example, consider two adjacent rows: if a certain cell must be filled in one row, then in the neighboring row this same cell may impose restrictions on the placement of its blocks. By using such links between rows and columns, you can detect hidden cells that would not be revealed by examining lines separately.
• Trial method and checking for contradictions. If you have tried all obvious moves and the solution does not progress, in some cases a controlled trial-and-error method is used. A cell with two equally possible states (filled or empty) is chosen, and one option is temporarily assumed. Then continue solving and see if this assumption leads to a conflict with the clues. If a contradiction arises (for example, the numerical conditions cannot be met), go back and mark the cell the opposite way. This method requires experience and accuracy and should be used only as a last resort. Remember that correct Nonograms have a single solution, so any contradiction clearly indicates the wrong path.
• Using color clues. In colored Nonograms, advanced tactics include considering the color when choosing the next move. Numbers of different colors provide more information: for example, if in a row a red block is immediately followed by a blue block (without a gap), these groups will touch on the grid. This allows faster narrowing of placement options for blocks of different colors. Experienced players also work color by color: they first place all blocks of one color across the grid, then move to another — this color-by-color analysis can be effective for complex multicolored puzzles.
• Looking at the overall picture. An advanced technique is to take symmetry and the expected form of the final image into account. Sometimes, based on the arrangement of already filled cells, an experienced player can anticipate a fragment of the picture and use this hypothesis to speed up the solving. This is especially useful with familiar motifs. However, one should not rely on guesses: every hypothesis must be checked against the numerical clues. Moreover, there are Nonograms where the final result is not a recognizable image at all, but an abstract or chaotic composition. In such cases, predicting the form is impossible, and the puzzle is solved exclusively through logical analysis — making the process harder, but also especially clean and mathematically elegant.
• Planning and managing attention. Another important component of advanced strategy in Nonograms is the ability to plan actions and manage attention during solving. Unlike puzzles with a linear structure, where each step strictly follows the previous one, in Nonograms multiple analysis paths are possible, and the player must decide which direction to take. This makes the process not only logical but also tactical. Especially in large grids, where not all areas can be solved at once, it is important to set the right priorities: focus on areas with the highest chance of progress, and avoid getting stuck in difficult sections when there is not enough data yet. Advanced players know how to «let go» of local dead ends and switch to other parts of the grid — this approach often reveals unexpected opportunities.

Nonograms have traveled from specialized Japanese magazines to worldwide recognition, while preserving their unique intellectual appeal. This puzzle combines the rigor of logical reasoning with elements of visual creativity, allowing everyone to feel like both an analyst and an artist. This rare and harmonious combination makes the Nonogram not just entertainment, but a full-fledged form of mental practice, where solving brings both pleasure and satisfaction from the revealed meaning.

By solving a Japanese crossword, you train your brain, patience, and attentiveness, and the reward is the image you have «drawn» with your own mental effort. Such a game is perfect both for relaxation and for intellectual leisure — everyone can find something for themselves. Ready to test yourself? Play Nonogram online right now — free and without registration!