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🖼 A hidden picture is waiting inside the grid. Use the numbers above each column and beside each row to work out which squares to fill in — the answer key sits at the bottom, fold it backward along the dotted line before you start.

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Halloween Icon

Nonogram · Puzzle No. 114 · ThePuzzleSolver.net

Hard

A logic-grid picture puzzle (also called picross or griddlers). Use the number clues to fill in the correct squares and reveal the hidden image.

Each number tells you how many squares in a row to fill in that line, in order. A clue of 2 2 means: fill 2 squares, leave at least one blank, then fill 2 more.

	11	3 2	2 2	2 1 2 1	2 2 2 2	2 3 2 1	2 2 2 1	2 1 2 1	2 2 2 1	4 3 2 1	4 3 2 1	2 2 2 1	2 1 2 1	2 2 2 1	2 3 2 1	2 2 2 1	2 1 2 2	2 2	2 2	11
2
2
10
14
3 3
2 2
2 2
2 1 1 1
1 3 3 1
1 5 5 1
1 1
1 2 1
1 4 1
1 1 4 1 1
1 2 2 1
1 2 2 1
2 10 2
2 8 2
3 2
13

20 columns × 20 rows

✂ fold backward along this line to hide the solution ✂

Solution hidden on screen — it prints automatically.

Solution

How to Solve This Nonogram

Nonograms (also called picross, griddlers, or hanjie) are logic puzzles that hide a picture inside a grid of numbers:

Start with the biggest clues. A row or column clue close to the full width tells you the whole line is nearly filled — mark those first.
Watch for lone single clues. A clue of just 1 sitting between two solved lines can often be pinned down early using the cells already fixed above and below it.
Work the overlap. When a clue number is more than half the line's length, the middle cells must always be filled no matter how the run shifts — mark those immediately.

This puzzle is a 20×20 grid. For the full method, edge logic, and tougher techniques once you're ready to level up, read our complete guide to nonograms and advanced nonogram techniques.

Walkthrough: Your First Four Moves

Not sure where to begin? Here's exactly how Mr. Puzzle opens this grid. Rows are numbered top to bottom and columns left to right.

The wide rows. Row 4 (14) has 6 squares of wiggle room, so columns 7 through 14 are filled. Row 20 (13) has 7, so columns 8 through 13.
Rows 17 and 18. Row 17 (2 10 2) takes 16 squares with gaps, leaving 4 of wiggle room, so the 10 always covers columns 8 through 13. Row 18 (2 8 2) leaves 6, so the 8 covers columns 10 and 11.
Columns 1 and 20 (11). In 20 rows, that's 9 squares of wiggle room, which still guarantees rows 10 and 11.
Now switch to "what if". That's about all simple line logic gives you here. The face is made of short, scattered runs, so the next step is testing squares and following them until a clue breaks.

Stuck? Click for a nudge

Row 1's run of 2 can only sit in one place: the very middle. Test any other spot and follow it down through rows 2 and 3 to see why.

Why It's Rated Hard

There's exactly one answer, but after a handful of opening moves you'll need "what if" testing to keep going. The features in the middle are all short runs that hide their positions well. Great for solvers ready to try the contradiction technique.

Spoiler: what does this puzzle hide?

Halloween Icon reveals a classic jack-o'-lantern once the grid is filled in — the jagged triangle eyes, a wide zigzag grin, and the little curled stem on top all take shape from the row and column clues. It is rated Hard because the face's cut-outs leave long stretches where line logic alone won't move, so plan on testing cells for contradictions more than once.

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