#629 — Mon, Sep 21, 2026

What is a nonogram?

A nonogram — also sold as picross, griddlers, or hanjie — is a picture logic puzzle invented in Japan in the late 1980s. The numbers beside each row and above each column tell you the lengths of the consecutive filled runs in that line, in order, with at least one empty cell between runs. Deduce which cells are filled and which are empty. Our generated grids reveal abstract pixel patterns. No trivia, no vocabulary — just deduction, which is why the puzzle translated so easily from Japanese magazines to newspapers, Nintendo cartridges, and the browser you are using now.

How the daily puzzle works

Every day at local midnight a new board unlocks — the same one for every player, so times are comparable on the leaderboard. The date determines the size: 5x5, 10x10, 15x15, 20x20, or 25x25. Difficulty labels describe grid size, rather than measured solving complexity. Each board is generated fresh and verified to have exactly one solution reachable by logic alone, so you never have to guess. Solving today's puzzle extends your streak; anything you missed stays playable in the library, where replays never touch your streak. Prefer no calendar at all? Free play serves unlimited boards in any size.

Tips for today's easy grid

On a small grid, big clues are nearly the whole story. Start with any row or column whose clue is close to the grid size — a 4 in a line of 5 pins down three cells immediately, wherever it sits. Cross off every line with a 0, then work each filled cell's crossing line before moving on. Small boards reward tidiness over speed: mark the empties you have proven, and the pattern usually falls out in one or two passes.

For the full toolkit — overlaps, edge logic, splitting, and the contradiction test — see the solving techniques guide, or start from the beginner's guide if this is your first grid.