How to Play Nonogram (Pixel)

🖼️What is a nonogram?

A nonogram — also called picross, griddler, or paint-by-numbers — hides a picture in a grid. The numbers along each row and column are the recipe: each number is the length of one block of consecutive filled cells, in order, and blocks are always separated by at least one empty cell. A row clue of "3 1" means: somewhere in that row, three filled cells in a row, then a gap, then a single filled cell. Solve every line consistently and the picture reveals itself. On DailyGrid it's called Pixel.

📜The rules

1. Each row and column clue lists its filled blocks in order, with their exact lengths.
2. Between any two blocks there is at least one empty cell. Before the first block and after the last, there may be any number of empty cells (including zero).
3. Mark cells filled or empty (an X/dim mark for known-empty helps enormously).
4. When every line matches its clue, the picture is complete. DailyGrid Pixel puzzles have a single consistent solution — no guessing needed.

🎯Strategy

Getting started — the overlap technique

• Add up a line's clues plus one gap per separator. A 10-wide row with clue "7" leaves only 3 cells of slack: the block must cover the middle. Push the block as far left as it can go and as far right as it can go — every cell covered in both extremes is definitely filled. For "7" in 10, that's the middle 4 cells.
• Do the same for multi-block clues: "4 4" in a row of 10 totals 9 with the gap, leaving 1 slack — the overlap gives you most of both blocks immediately.
• Full and empty lines: a clue equal to the line length fills the whole line; a clue of 0 (or a line whose blocks are all accounted for) is all empty.

Level up

• Edge anchoring: if a row's first cell is filled, the first block starts there and extends exactly its clue length; the cell after it is empty. Same logic at every edge and around every known block.
• Mark empties religiously. A cell that no placement can reach is as valuable as a filled cell — it constrains the perpendicular lines.
• Count down blocks: when a line's placed blocks already satisfy its clue, X out the rest of the line and move on.
• Work rows and columns in alternation — nearly every filled or emptied cell tightens the lines crossing it.

Pro tips

• Contradiction check: if a line's remaining empty space can't fit its remaining blocks, you've misplaced something upstream — recheck the last few "certain" cells.
• The 🔬 Mini variation (5×5) is pure overlap practice — clear a few minis and 10×10s start to feel roomy.

⚠️Common mistakes

• Forgetting the mandatory gap: two blocks with no empty cell between them are actually one block — if your fill merges them, something's wrong.
• Assuming blocks are evenly spaced. Clues say nothing about position except order and minimum gaps; only the overlap is certain.
• Not marking known-empty cells, then accidentally "finding" space for a block that was never there.

❓FAQ

What is a nonogram?

A picture-logic puzzle (picross/griddler): row and column numbers give the lengths of filled blocks in order, separated by at least one empty cell. Fill consistently and a picture appears.

How do you start one?

With the biggest clues and the overlap technique — slide each block to both extremes and fill the cells it covers either way. See the strategy section.

Is the DailyGrid Pixel free?

Yes — Pixel is the DailyGrid nonogram, new every day at midnight ET, no account needed — the daily puzzles are free. Always. One of ten daily puzzles.

Where can I learn the other games?

See all ten DailyGrid guides.