One certain cell at a time.
You do not need a lucky guess. Look for a cell every valid arrangement agrees on, then let that cell help its crossing line.
01
Find the cells every placement shares.
You can know where part of a black group belongs before you know where the group starts.
02
An empty mark is useful information.
A × is not a second kind of blank. It records a conclusion that the cell must stay empty.
03
Use every clue, then close the line.
Sometimes a line has no spare space at all. Other times, the black groups are complete and only empty marks remain.
New to the clues?
Start with the rules and three short exercises. Then choose a 5×5 picture and use one certain row or column to help the next.
Stuck partway through?
Use the game’s Help panel for a logical deduction. Rule checking, comparing with the answer and revealing a picture are different actions. A logical hint stops if your current marks make the puzzle impossible; it does not quietly fix them for you.
Back to a puzzle →