Nonogram
Nonogram (also known as picross or griddlers) is a free browser logic puzzle where numbers beside each row and column tell you the lengths of the filled runs hiding in the grid, and your job is to reconstruct the pixel picture. GameStand serves a daily 5×5 warm-up and a daily 10×10 main board — identical for every player, reset at midnight UTC — plus unlimited practice boards. Every board is machine-verified to be solvable by pure line logic with exactly one solution. No download, no signup.
Each number is a promise: "3 1" on a row means a run of three filled cells, a gap of at least one, then a single. Cross-reference rows against columns and the picture snaps into focus. Our generator only ships boards a pure logician can finish — if you ever feel forced to guess, you have missed a deduction, not the puzzle.
Generating today’s picture…
How to play
- Read the clue numbers: each one is a consecutive run of filled cells in that row or column, in order, with at least one empty cell between runs.
- In ⬛ Fill mode, tap cells you know are part of the picture. Switch to × Mark mode to note cells that must stay empty — marks are bookkeeping and never count against you.
- When a row or column exactly satisfies its clue, its numbers fade — a quick visual receipt.
- Fill every true cell to complete the picture. Check (counted) marks any filled cell that doesn't belong, and Undo steps back freely.
Rules
- Clues list the filled runs in order; runs in the same line are separated by at least one empty cell. A clue of 0 means the line is completely empty.
- Only filled cells define the solution — × marks are your private notes and may be placed or removed freely.
- Every board (daily or practice) has exactly one solution reachable by line logic alone; guessing is never required.
- Daily boards reset at midnight UTC and are the same for everyone; the archive picker holds the last two weeks.
- Checks are unlimited but counted; a no-check finish is the cleanest result.
Scoring & streaks
Your result is your solve time plus how many checks you used. Completing any daily board on its real day (either size) extends your on-device streak; practice boards never affect it.
Strategy tips
- Start with overlaps: a 7-clue in a 10-wide line must occupy the middle four cells no matter where it slides — fill those immediately.
- Finish the extremes: full-line clues, zeros and clues that exactly fill the line with their gaps (like "4 5" in 10 cells) are free real estate.
- Cross-reference constantly — every cell you fill in a row is new information for its column, and vice versa.
- Mark empties aggressively. Knowing where runs can't go is half the deduction, and completed runs can be capped with × on both ends.
- On the 10×10, work the densest rows and columns first; their heavy clues constrain the most cells and cascade into the sparse ones.
Difficulty
The daily 5×5 is a one-minute warm-up for learning the clue language. The daily 10×10 typically takes 5–15 minutes depending on how methodically you mark empties. Practice boards match the daily difficulty at each size, and no board here ever requires bifurcation (trial-and-error branching).
Controls
- Tap or click a cell to toggle it according to the active mode (⬛ Fill or × Mark); tapping again clears it.
- Undo reverses any number of moves; Check audits your filled cells against the solution and adds to your check-count.
- The picker above the board switches between two weeks of dailies and unlimited practice; the size selector (5×5 / 10×10) works in both modes.
Accessibility
Every cell is a real button labeled with its row, column and current state, so keyboard and screen-reader play work end-to-end. Fill and Mark states differ by symbol as well as color, completed clue-lines fade but remain readable, and both themes keep the grid high-contrast without horizontal scrolling on phones.
Frequently asked questions
Is the daily nonogram the same for everyone?
Yes. Both daily sizes are derived deterministically from the date, so every player worldwide gets identical boards at midnight UTC.
Can a board ever require guessing?
No. The generator only accepts boards that a pure line-solver can complete cell by cell, which also guarantees exactly one solution. If you feel stuck, there is always a deduction available somewhere.
Do × marks affect winning?
No. Marks are your personal bookkeeping. The win condition only compares your filled cells against the hidden picture.
What does a clue of 0 mean?
That row or column has no filled cells at all — you can mark the entire line empty immediately.
What's the difference between the two sizes?
5×5 is a quick warm-up with simple clues; 10×10 is the full daily challenge. Each has its own daily board, and solving either counts for your streak.
Does it work offline?
Once the page is loaded, generation and play run entirely in your browser — a connection is only needed to load the page.