puzzle perch

By Puzzle Perch · Checked

A 10×10 Nonogram, solved without guessing.

Start with lines that fit exactly. Use overlap to find more filled squares, then let the rows and columns narrow each other down. This walkthrough resolves all 100 squares in six stages.

Play this 10 × 10 puzzle
The starting grid: every square is undecided
Row numbers and cluesC116C2221C3322C42113C5313C6313C72113C8322C9221C1016
R11 6 1??????????
R28??????????
R33 2 3??????????
R41 1 1 1??????????
R51 1 1 1??????????
R610??????????
R72 2??????????
R81 4 1??????????
R96??????????
R108??????????
Green = filled · × = empty · ? = undecided

The exact puzzle and rules

This is 10 × 10 practice puzzle 02 in the Puzzle Perch Nonogram game. It is a monochrome puzzle: every square is either filled or empty. The example is fixed; it is not today's daily puzzle.

Read row clues from left to right and column clues from top to bottom. Each number is one unbroken group of filled squares, with at least one empty square between groups. Extra empty squares may sit at either end. A question mark in our diagrams means undecided, not empty.

Rows run from R1 at the top to R10 at the bottom; columns run from C1 on the left to C10 on the right. Every new mark below follows from a clue and the marks already established. If the notation is new, begin with the complete 5 × 5 tutorial.

The complete 10 × 10 solution

Each diagram keeps the earlier deductions. The outlined squares are the marks added in that stage.

1. Start with rows that have no spare space

Add the filled groups and one empty square between each pair. If the total is 10, every group and gap has a fixed position.

  • Row 1: 1 + 6 + 1 filled squares, plus two gaps, uses all 10. Fill columns 1, 3–8 and 10; mark 2 and 9 empty.
  • Row 3: 3 + 2 + 3, plus two gaps, also uses 10. Fill columns 1–3, 5–6 and 8–10; mark 4 and 7 empty.
  • Row 6 has a single clue of 10. Fill the entire row.
After step 1: 30 of 100 squares resolved
Row numbers and cluesC116C2221C3322C42113C5313C6313C72113C8322C9221C1016
R11 6 1Filled×FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled×Filled
R28??????????
R33 2 3FilledFilledFilled×FilledFilled×FilledFilledFilled
R41 1 1 1??????????
R51 1 1 1??????????
R610FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled
R72 2??????????
R81 4 1??????????
R96??????????
R108??????????
Green = filled · × = empty · ? = undecided · Outline = new this step

2. Fill the overlap, leaving the rest unknown

Compare the earliest and latest legal positions of a group. Fill only the squares it covers in every position. A square outside that overlap is not automatically empty.

  • Row 2 has a run of 8. It can occupy columns 1–8, 2–9 or 3–10. All three cover columns 3–8, so fill those six squares.
  • Row 10 also has a run of 8. Fill columns 3–8 for the same reason; leave columns 1–2 and 9–10 undecided.
  • Row 9 has a run of 6, from as far left as 1–6 to as far right as 5–10. Its overlap is columns 5–6.
  • Row 8 has clues 1, 4, 1. The middle run needs a singleton and a gap on each side. It can start only at column 3, 4 or 5, so it always covers columns 5–6.
After step 2: 46 of 100 squares resolved
Row numbers and cluesC116C2221C3322C42113C5313C6313C72113C8322C9221C1016
R11 6 1Filled×FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled×Filled
R28??FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled??
R33 2 3FilledFilledFilled×FilledFilled×FilledFilledFilled
R41 1 1 1??????????
R51 1 1 1??????????
R610FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled
R72 2??????????
R81 4 1????FilledFilled????
R96????FilledFilled????
R108??FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled??
Green = filled · × = empty · ? = undecided · Outline = new this step

3. Use the edge columns to fix both ends

Columns 1 and 10 each have clues 1, 6. Read these groups from top to bottom. Their known squares now fix both groups completely.

  • Column 1: row 1 is filled, so it must be the first, single-square group. Row 2 is its gap. The filled square at row 3 then starts the run of 6, which fills rows 3–8. Mark rows 9–10 empty.
  • Column 10 has the same clue and the same known squares at rows 1 and 3. Apply the same deduction: row 2 is empty, rows 3–8 are filled, and rows 9–10 are empty.
After step 3: 60 of 100 squares resolved
Row numbers and cluesC116C2221C3322C42113C5313C6313C72113C8322C9221C1016
R11 6 1Filled×FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled×Filled
R28×?FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled?×
R33 2 3FilledFilledFilled×FilledFilled×FilledFilledFilled
R41 1 1 1Filled????????Filled
R51 1 1 1Filled????????Filled
R610FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled
R72 2Filled????????Filled
R81 4 1Filled???FilledFilled???Filled
R96×???FilledFilled???×
R108×?FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled?×
Green = filled · × = empty · ? = undecided · Outline = new this step

4. Close the groups in the central columns

The middle columns contain enough known filled squares to place every group. Once a group is complete, its separating squares must be empty.

  • Column 4 has clues 2, 1, 1, 3. Rows 1–2 complete the first 2. Because row 10 is filled, the final 3 must occupy rows 8–10. The two singletons fit between them only at rows 4 and 6: row 6 is already filled, so rows 5 and 7 are gaps.
  • Column 7 has the same 2, 1, 1, 3 clue and known squares. Fill rows 4, 8 and 9; mark rows 5 and 7 empty.
  • Column 5 has clues 3, 1, 3. Rows 1–3, row 6, and rows 8–10 already supply those groups. Mark rows 4, 5 and 7 empty.
  • Column 6 has the same three completed groups as column 5. Mark rows 4, 5 and 7 empty here too.
After step 4: 76 of 100 squares resolved
Row numbers and cluesC116C2221C3322C42113C5313C6313C72113C8322C9221C1016
R11 6 1Filled×FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled×Filled
R28×?FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled?×
R33 2 3FilledFilledFilled×FilledFilled×FilledFilledFilled
R41 1 1 1Filled??Filled××Filled??Filled
R51 1 1 1Filled??××××??Filled
R610FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled
R72 2Filled??××××??Filled
R81 4 1Filled??FilledFilledFilledFilled??Filled
R96×??FilledFilledFilledFilled??×
R108×?FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled?×
Green = filled · × = empty · ? = undecided · Outline = new this step

5. Keep two possible pairs, but take what they share

Columns 3 and 8 each have clues 3, 2, 2. We cannot yet place the middle pair exactly. We can still resolve the squares that agree in both possibilities.

  • Column 3: rows 1–3 form the first group, so row 4 is empty. The last pair must be rows 9–10 because row 10 is filled. The middle pair includes row 6, so it is either rows 5–6 or 6–7. Both choices leave row 8 empty. Fill row 9; leave rows 5 and 7 unknown.
  • Column 8 has the same clue and known squares. Mark rows 4 and 8 empty, fill row 9, and keep rows 5 and 7 undecided.
After step 5: 82 of 100 squares resolved
Row numbers and cluesC116C2221C3322C42113C5313C6313C72113C8322C9221C1016
R11 6 1Filled×FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled×Filled
R28×?FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled?×
R33 2 3FilledFilledFilled×FilledFilled×FilledFilledFilled
R41 1 1 1Filled?×Filled××Filled×?Filled
R51 1 1 1Filled??××××??Filled
R610FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled
R72 2Filled??××××??Filled
R81 4 1Filled?×FilledFilledFilledFilled×?Filled
R96×?FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled?×
R108×?FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled?×
Green = filled · × = empty · ? = undecided · Outline = new this step

6. Return to the rows and resolve the remaining squares

The column deductions have removed the remaining choices. Check each unfinished row against its own clues; no guess about the picture is needed.

  • Row 2: columns 1 and 10 are empty. Its run of 8 must occupy columns 2–9, so fill columns 2 and 9.
  • Row 10 has the same empty ends and clue 8. Fill columns 2 and 9.
  • Row 8: the singleton at column 1, the run at 4–7, and the singleton at 10 complete 1, 4, 1. Mark columns 2 and 9 empty.
  • Row 9: the six filled squares at columns 3–8 complete its clue 6. Mark columns 2 and 9 empty.
  • Row 4: columns 1, 4, 7 and 10 already supply its four singletons. Mark columns 2 and 9 empty.
  • Row 5 needs four singletons. Columns 1 and 10 are filled, so their neighbours 2 and 9 must be empty. Columns 4–7 are empty, leaving only columns 3 and 8 for the other two singletons. Fill them.
  • Row 7 needs two pairs. The filled ends at columns 1 and 10 force pairs at 1–2 and 9–10. Fill columns 2 and 9, then mark columns 3 and 8 empty.
After step 6: all 100 squares are resolved
Row numbers and cluesC116C2221C3322C42113C5313C6313C72113C8322C9221C1016
R11 6 1Filled×FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled×Filled
R28×FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled×
R33 2 3FilledFilledFilled×FilledFilled×FilledFilledFilled
R41 1 1 1Filled××Filled××Filled××Filled
R51 1 1 1Filled×Filled××××Filled×Filled
R610FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled
R72 2FilledFilled××××××FilledFilled
R81 4 1Filled××FilledFilledFilledFilled××Filled
R96××FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled××
R108×FilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilledFilled×
Green = filled · × = empty · ? = undecided · Outline = new this step

Check the answer against the clues

Read each completed row and column as groups again. For example, column 3 is now a run of 3, a gap, a run of 2, two gaps, then a run of 2: its clue is exactly 3, 2, 2. Row 5 has four separated single squares, matching 1, 1, 1, 1.

This puzzle has one solution, and every mark above is forced by the remaining placements of its line. Other 10 × 10 puzzles can require different deductions; this sequence is specific to practice puzzle 02. When a line still has several possibilities, keep only what they all agree on and check a crossing line.

The game completes this board once every correct filled square is filled and there are no extra fills. Empty marks are optional for winning. The walkthrough marks them all so you can follow the complete reasoning.

Now solve this exact puzzle yourself

The button opens a fresh Tutorial 10 × 10 board for practice puzzle 02. Tutorial moves stay in this visit, and your regular practice and daily saves are kept. Start with rows 1, 3 and 6, then return to the diagrams whenever you need them.

Nonogram gameplay

Choose how to play

The exact puzzle shown above. A fresh tutorial board with your regular progress kept.

Choose Fill or Mark empty, then tap a square. Tap again with the same tool to clear a mark. On a keyboard, move with the arrow keys; Space or Enter uses the selected tool, and X marks empty. Zoom in enlarges the board on a small screen; Undo reverses the last change.

For another puzzle, choose a 5 × 5 or 10 × 10 Nonogram, or try a daily Nonogram. Daily selections change at midnight UTC and rotate through a checked puzzle bank, so patterns can repeat.