Pixel Cross
Play Pixel Cross now · free, no download, no sign-up
Pixel Cross is a nonogram game, a kind of logic puzzle that hides a picture inside a grid. Numbers beside each row and above each column tell you how many filled squares come in a row there, and in what order. By working out which squares must be filled and which must stay empty, you slowly reveal the image.
It is for anyone who enjoys number puzzles that reward careful thinking rather than speed. There is no clock, just three hearts per puzzle. When the last square is filled, the picture appears in full colour, from an ice cream to a big heart, which is a lovely payoff for a few minutes of logic.
How to play
- The numbers show how many filled squares come in a row, in that order, with at least one gap between groups.
- Tap or drag to fill squares.
- Switch to X mode to mark squares that must stay empty.
- A wrong square costs a heart; lose three and the puzzle is over.
- Finished rows and columns are crossed out automatically.
- Fill every correct square to reveal the hidden picture.
Controls
On a phone or tablet
Tap a square to fill it, or drag along a row to fill several. Use the mode switch to mark squares with X.
On a computer
Click to fill a square and drag the mouse to fill a line. Switch to X mode to mark empty squares.
Game modes
Puzzles
A set of hand-drawn pixel pictures first, followed by endless generated puzzles.
Tips
- Start with the biggest numbers: they overlap in the middle of the row.
- A row with 0, or a number as wide as the grid, is solved at once.
- Mark empty squares with X so the gaps are easy to see.
- Drag along a row to fill several squares in one go.
- Check rows and columns against each other; each solved square gives a clue for the crossing line.
About the game
Nonograms, also called paint by numbers or griddlers, were invented in Japan in the late 1980s and spread through puzzle magazines. Pixel Cross keeps the pure logic of the format and adds hearts, so a guess has a cost, plus a colour reveal at the end of every puzzle.
On a phone the grid fills a portrait screen and the numbers stay crisp. On a desktop the mouse makes dragging along rows fast and accurate.
Questions
- Is Pixel Cross free?
- Yes, it is free to play in your browser.
- What happens if I lose all three hearts?
- The puzzle ends and you can try it again, or watch an ad for one more heart.
- Can I get a hint?
- Yes. A hint reveals one correct square; you get it by watching a short ad.
- Does it save my progress?
- Your solved and perfect pictures are saved in this browser on this device.
