Ombro
Light the scene, find the shapes
Ombro is a free online logic puzzle where you locate blocks hidden on a 5×5 board by projecting light from different angles and reading their shadows, with a new scene every day.
- Duration
- 3–6 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Skill
- Spatial reasoning
- Price
- Free
How to play?
Three or four blocks, whose shape and height you know, are hidden on a 5×5 board. Turn the projector to one of 8 angles: the light casts their shadow on a screen. Each angle reveals a new profile, but a block moved along the light's path keeps the same shadow: you have to cross the views. Place your pieces, compare their shadow with the observed one, then submit your scene. All with as few projections as you can.
Blocks of different heights are hidden on a 5×5 board: you know their shape, not where they sit.
Pick an angle and project the light: the blocks' shadow appears on the screen.
Each new angle costs 1 point; viewing an angle you already projected is free.
Place your pieces on the board: their shadow shows under the observed one. When your scene explains every shadow, submit.
Why play?
A visual, spatial puzzle you get in seconds.
The same scene for everyone, every day.
Time is not part of the score: only the sharpness of your deductions counts.
Tips
A block moved along the light's path keeps the same shadow: a single angle never reveals depth. Cross distant angles, such as 0° and 90°.
Height reads directly: a shadow two levels high can only come from a block of height 2 or more.
Place your pieces as you project: it is free and they stay on your device. The panel compares your scene's shadow with the observed one live, and a subtle glint lights up when they match.
Only submit once your scene explains all your shadows: a wrong submission costs 2 points, as much as two new angles. An impossible answer (overlapping pieces or pieces off the board) is refused with no penalty.
Time is not part of the score. Think before each projection: the most useful angle is often the one that best splits the positions still possible.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Ombro?
Blocks whose shape and height you know are hidden on a 5×5 board. Pick one of the projector's 8 angles and project: their shadow appears on the screen. Drag your pieces onto the board, tap them to rotate, compare your scene's shadow with the observed one, then submit.
Is Ombro free to play?
Yes. Ombro is free in your browser, on desktop or mobile, with nothing to download. You can play today's scene without an account. A free account unlocks the archive of past days, and SIWA+ (18 € a year) removes ads and adds advanced stats.
Do I need to find the exact position of every block?
Yes, but only one layout is possible: every daily scene is checked so that a single configuration casts its 8 shadows. A symmetric piece rotated onto itself is still correct, and two identical pieces can be swapped.
Does viewing an angle again cost a point?
No. Only new angles count: you can go back to any shadow you already observed to compare it with your scene, for free.
How is the Ombro score calculated?
The score is out of 1000. Your cost adds up the angles you projected and 2 points per wrong submission. As long as it stays within the scene's minimum number of angles plus one, the score is full; beyond that, each point takes off 100 points, never going below 300. Time is not counted and there is no joker.