Picross in brief
Picross is a grid puzzle known under several names: nonogram, Griddlers, Hanjie, or logimage in France. It emerged in Japan in the late 1980s, where two creators, Non Ishida and Tetsuya Nishio, independently published versions in 1987. The name nonogram comes from Non Ishida's first name, and the genre was popularised by Nintendo's Picross video games from 1995.
Each row and column carries a sequence of numbers. "2 3" means it contains a block of 2 filled cells, then a block of 3, separated by at least one empty cell. By crossing these constraints you fill the grid, and the shaded cells form a picture. The name Picross is itself a contraction of "picture crossword".
What Picross fans enjoy
- Deduction without words: no trivia, just numbers and logic.
- Crossing: a sure cell in a row unlocks a column, which unlocks another.
- The reveal: the picture appears little by little and rewards the effort.
- Calm: a grid is solved at your own pace, with no luck involved.
Pixelo keeps the nonogram mechanic. Binero and Bouclo share only the way of reasoning, with rules of their own. Unlike SIWA's word games, none of these three puzzles requires any French: they are pure logic, with no words involved.
Comparison: what each SIWA game shares with Picross
| SIWA game | In common with Picross | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Pixelo | Nonogram rules, clues per row and column | A shared daily grid, a score and a joker |
| Binero | Reasoning row by row and column by column | Two symbols to place, no picture |
| Bouclo | Number clues that bring out a shape | You draw a loop along the cell edges |
Pixelo: the nonogram of the day
Pixelo follows nonogram rules. Clues run along every row and column; you fill the cells you know are full and can mark with a cross those you know are empty. You win as soon as all the filled cells are placed, and the pixel-art picture appears. Allow 3 to 7 minutes depending on the grid.
A few differences for regulars. Crosses are optional, but a cross on a cell that should be filled counts as a mistake in your score. The game does not flag wrong cells one by one; instead, a clue lights up when the blocks in its row or column match the numbers. If you get stuck, a joker reveals a cell, for a few points.
Nonogram reflexes work as they are. Add up blocks and mandatory gaps: for "3 2 4" on a row of 11 cells, 3 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 4 = 11, so the whole row is determined.
Binero and Bouclo: more grids to deduce
Binero will appeal to Picross players who like reading a grid row by row. Each cell takes a ○ or a ●, with three rules: never three identical symbols in a row, equal numbers of each in every row and column, and no duplicate row or column. The daily grid is 8×8 and is judged only once it is full. Our guide to games like Takuzu covers this puzzle in detail.
Bouclo also brings out a shape from numbers. You draw a single closed loop between the dots of the grid, with no crossings or branches; the number in a cell tells you how many of its four sides belong to the loop. As in Picross, every certain deduction leads to another. On Sundays the grid is bigger and harder, and a joker reveals a correct segment if you get stuck.
For lovers of number grids, our selection of games like Sudoku complements this one.
One picture a day, the same for everyone
Each grid changes at midnight, in your local time, and it is the same for everyone that day. The daily leaderboard compares everyone's score, out of 1000 points.
Everything is free, in the browser, on a phone or a computer, with nothing to download and no sign-up. A free account keeps your streaks and opens the archives so you can find the pictures of past days. A simple routine: Pixelo for the picture of the day, then Binero or Bouclo when you want a different kind of grid.