What is a Nonogram?
A Nonogram (also known as Picross or Griddlers) is a logic puzzle where you reveal a hidden picture by determining which cells should be filled or empty. Row and column clues show how many consecutive filled cells appear in each line.
For example, "3 1 2" means three filled, then at least one empty, then one filled, then at least one empty, then two filled. Using pure logic, you deduce which cells satisfy all clues. See How to Play for techniques and solving strategies.
PencilGrid offers six difficulty bands: Easy (5×5), Medium (10×10), Hard (15×15), Very Hard (advanced techniques), Expert (minimal clues), and Twist (special variations). The daily follows a weekday curve from Easy Monday to Expert Saturday, with Twist on Sundays.
Features
Daily Puzzles
New Nonogram every day at midnight UTC. 10×10 to 15×15 grids with varying difficulty.
6 Difficulty Levels
From Easy to Twist. Each level introduces new techniques, with Twist mode featuring unique challenge variations.
Drag-Paint Input
Click or tap a cell, then drag to paint multiple cells at once. Locked to one axis for precision.
Technique Guides
Step-by-step guides for Overlap, Edge Logic, and advanced techniques. Learn by doing with interactive examples.
Undo/Redo
Full undo/redo stack. Experiment freely without losing progress.
Solving Techniques
Master these techniques to solve puzzles efficiently:
1. Overlap & Forced Cells
When a group is large relative to line length, some cells are filled regardless of position. Your primary tool for initial progress.
Learn this technique →2. Using Crossed-Out Cells
Marked empty cells create boundaries that limit where groups can fit, revealing new forced cells.
Learn this technique →3. Combining Rows and Columns
Information flows both ways. A filled cell from row analysis becomes a constraint for the column.
Learn this technique →4. Edge Logic & Advanced Reasoning
When simpler techniques stall, use edge case reasoning and lookahead to find contradictions.
Learn this technique →Frequently Asked Questions
Is PencilGrid Nonogram completely free?
Yes, all Nonogram puzzles on PencilGrid are completely free. No account, subscription, or payment required. Play as much as you want.
When does the new daily puzzle become available?
A new daily Nonogram puzzle is published every day at midnight UTC. Puzzles range from 10×10 to 15×15 grids depending on the day.
Do I need to create an account?
No account needed. Your progress is saved locally in your browser using IndexedDB. This means your game state persists across sessions on the same device and browser.
What is a Nonogram?
A Nonogram (also called Picross, Griddlers, or Paint by Numbers) is a logic puzzle where you reveal a hidden picture by filling cells in a grid. Row and column clues tell you how many consecutive filled cells appear in each line.
What difficulty levels are available?
Practice mode offers Easy, Medium, Hard, Very Hard, Expert, and Twist difficulties. Daily puzzles vary in difficulty. Each level introduces new solving techniques.
Explore Nonograms
Daily Nonogram
Learn about the daily puzzle, difficulty curve, and how to play.
How to Play Nonograms
Complete guide to rules, cell states, and solving techniques.
Play Today's Puzzle
Solve today's daily Nonogram and maintain your streak.
Printable Nonograms
Download 5×5 and 10×10 puzzles as PDFs to solve on paper.