Nonogram Mini — Picross Logic Puzzle
Fill cells to match the row and column clues. A bite-size 5x5 nonogram (picross) puzzle.
How to play
- Read each row and column clue: numbers are the lengths of filled runs in order.
- Click a cell to fill it; click again to mark an X (definitely empty); click again to clear.
- Use the clues together to deduce which cells must be filled.
- Click 'Check' to verify; 'Clear' wipes the grid and 'New Puzzle' loads another picture.
A nonogram (also called picross) is a logic grid puzzle. The numbers beside each row and above each column tell you the lengths of the filled runs in that line. Use deduction to fill the right cells and reveal the hidden 5x5 picture. Click a cell once to fill it, again to mark it with an X, and again to clear it.
How it works
Nonogram Mini is a 5x5 logic puzzle where you fill in cells on a grid to reveal a hidden pixel image. Each row and column has a number clue that tells you how many consecutive filled cells appear in that line. Your task is to use deduction to determine exactly which cells to fill.
A clue of 3 in a 5-cell row means three adjacent cells must be filled, leaving two empty. A clue of 2 means a run of exactly two filled cells. When a row has multiple clue numbers, each number represents a separate run of filled cells with at least one empty cell between them.
Start with the lines whose clues are most constrained. In a 5-wide grid, a clue of 5 means every cell is filled; a clue of 4 means at least cells 2-4 are definitely filled. Cross-referencing row and column deductions quickly narrows down the solution.
Nonograms strengthen logical reasoning and pattern recognition. The 5x5 size keeps puzzles quick to solve, making this a great brief mental exercise between tasks.
Worked example
Solve a row with clue 4
- Look at a row with clue 4 in a 5-cell grid.
- A run of 4 can start at position 1 or position 2, so positions 2-4 are guaranteed to be filled in both cases.
- Mark cells 2, 3, and 4 as filled immediately.
- Check the column clues for columns 1 and 5 to determine which end has the gap.
- Fill the correct end cell and leave the other empty to complete the row.
Row solved through overlap logic.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filling cells based on guesswork rather than deduction, leading to contradictions later.
- Forgetting that multiple clue numbers in one line require gaps between each run.
- Ignoring column clues after solving rows, missing cross-referencing deductions that resolve ambiguous cells.
Key terms
- Run
- A consecutive sequence of filled cells in a row or column, described by a single clue number.
- Overlap logic
- A technique where you find cells that must be filled regardless of where a run starts, by considering all valid positions.
- Clue
- The number (or numbers) beside a row or above a column indicating the lengths of filled runs in that line.
Frequently asked questions
- What do the clue numbers mean?
- Each number is the length of a consecutive run of filled cells in that row or column, in order. '2 1' means a run of 2, then a gap, then a run of 1.
- How is this different from pixel-picross?
- This is a compact 5x5 nonogram with a three-state click cycle (fill / mark X / clear) and randomly chosen mini pictures for quick logic rounds.