You can solve a beginner 5×5 nonogram without guessing. Start with clues that have only one possible placement, mark every square you know is empty, and use each certain move to unlock the crossing lines.
1. Read each clue as a group
A clue of 3 means one run of three filled squares next to one another. A clue of 2, 1 means a run of two, followed later by a separate run of one. The order cannot change.
Separate groups need at least one empty square between them. So clues of 2, 1 require at least four cells: 2 filled + 1 gap + 1 filled = 4.
2. Find the lines that are certain
On a five-cell line, a clue of 5 fills every square. A clue of 0 makes every square empty. Begin with these lines because there is no choice to make.
When a run is complete, mark any remaining squares in that line as empty. An × means a filled square cannot go there.
3. Use overlap for long clues
A clue of 4 in five cells can start at the first cell or the second cell. The middle three cells are filled in both arrangements, so they are safe to fill now:
■■■■××■■■■Solve a 5×5 heart step by step
The row clues are 3, 5, 5, 3, 1. The column clues are 2, 4, 5, 4, 2. Here is the full deduction path.
1. Fill the two rows marked 5
A clue of 5 has only one placement in a five-cell row, so rows 2 and 3 are completely filled.
2. Complete the center column
The center column also has a clue of 5. Fill its three remaining squares from top to bottom.
3. Use the two clues of 4
Columns 2 and 4 need four connected squares. Their known middle squares and the crossing row clues force them into rows 1 through 4.
4. Finish with the edge clues
The outside columns each need one run of 2, already supplied by rows 2 and 3. Mark every other edge square empty. The picture is complete.
4. Keep switching between rows and columns
- Find a row or column with a certain move.
- Fill its certain squares and mark its certain empties.
- Read the crossing clues again.
- Repeat until every clue agrees with the grid.
If you get stuck, inspect lines touched by your latest move. A new filled square or × often limits a crossing clue enough to reveal the next deduction. Undo an accidental mark; do not turn uncertainty into a guess.
5×5 nonogram questions
Where should I start on a 5×5 nonogram?
Start with rows or columns whose clues leave only one possible placement. On a 5×5 grid, clues of 5 and 0 are immediately certain; clues of 4 also create a three-square overlap.
Can a 5×5 nonogram be solved without guessing?
A well-constructed beginner puzzle can be solved by deductions from the clues. Switch between rows and columns, and only place a filled or empty square when every valid arrangement agrees.
What should I do when I get stuck?
Recheck every line changed by your last move. Count completed groups, mark squares outside completed runs as empty, and compare the earliest and latest possible placement of each remaining group.