Guided beginner boards
Start small. The coach points to a row or column where logic is available instead of dropping players into a dense grid.
Calm picture-logic puzzles
Turn number clues into pictures.
Find one square without guessing, then see why it works. Try the short exercise below, or explore free Cat, Sailboat, and Heart puzzles with Coach on iPhone or iPad.
A real puzzle · one safe move
Find a square in Fish.
5 × 5 · Beginner puzzle from Nonogram Coach.
Website teaching example—not an app screenshot.
Columns 3 and 4 have a clue of 5, so we’ve filled them. Now use the highlighted row 2: choose one undecided square that must be filled.
| 2 | · | · | ■ | ■ | · |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | ■ | ■ | |||
| 4 | · | · | ■ | ■ | · |
| 4 | · | · | ■ | ■ | · |
| 2 | · | · | ■ | ■ | · |
■ Filled· or ? Undecided
Try one square in row 2, or open the explanation.
One move only · no download needed
Why is row 2, column 2 safe?
Row 2 needs four filled squares together. In five squares, the run can occupy only columns 1–4 or 2–5. Both placements fill column 2.
- Columns 1–4
- Columns 2–5
Columns 3 and 4 were already filled. Column 2 is the next safe square; leave the two end squares undecided. The × above belongs to a possible placement, not a new mark on your board.
This is one practice step from the App’s Fish puzzle, not a full playable puzzle and not a solver for your own puzzle.
Keep learning on iPhone or iPadNo ads. Optional one-time Premium unlock.
Learn nonograms and picross
Understand the clues, one step at a time
Start with the rules, then explore overlap and other ways to find a move without guessing.
Nonogram Rules for Beginners
A nonogram is solved by using the number clues on each row and column to prove which cells must be filled and which must be empty. The goal is to reveal a hidden picture without guessing.
Picross vs Nonogram: Are They the Same?
Picross and nonogram usually mean the same kind of puzzle: use row and column number clues to reveal a picture on a grid.
How to Solve 5x5 Nonograms
For a 5x5 nonogram, start with the largest clues. A clue of 5 fills the whole row or column; a clue of 4 must overlap in the middle cells; completed clues let you mark surrounding cells empty.
How to Solve 8x8 Nonograms
An 8x8 nonogram gives enough cells to reveal a recognizable picture while staying small enough for beginners. Use large-clue overlap, edge clues, completed-line X marks, and row-column switching.
The Nonogram Overlap Technique
Overlap means comparing every possible placement of a clue and filling the cells that are covered in all placements.
How Edge Clues Work in Nonograms
If a clue group starts at the edge, it often has only one direction to grow. That can force additional fills and separator X marks.
Built for a quiet first session
Try the free pictures first. Keep your progress on your device, with no account required. More puzzles are available through an optional one-time Premium purchase—not a subscription.
Undo-first recovery
Mistakes and experiments should be recoverable. Calm play matters more than timers, streak pressure, or punitive interruptions.
Local-first and no account
Progress stays on your device. Play without ads, timers, lives, or streak pressure.