Hitori blog
Guides, history, and comparisons for Hitori fans. New here? Start with what "Hitori" means, then explore the rest. Prefer to just play? Jump in below.
What Does \"Hitori\" Mean? The Puzzle, the Name & the Anime
What does \"hitori\" mean? The Japanese word means \"alone,\" and the puzzle's full name translates to \"leave me alone.\" Here's the meaning behind the name, plus the anime mix-up.
Hitori vs Sudoku: The Puzzle Where You Erase, Not Fill
Hitori vs Sudoku: both are Japanese number puzzles, but in Hitori you shade duplicates away instead of filling cells in. Here's how they compare, and whether Hitori is harder.
Puzzles Like Hitori: Other Japanese Shading Puzzles to Try
Love Hitori and want more? Here are puzzles like Hitori — Japanese shading and black-and-white logic puzzles from Nurikabe to Binairo — and what makes each a great next challenge.
The History of Hitori: Nikoli's Number-Elimination Puzzle
The history of Hitori: how the Japanese publisher Nikoli created this number-elimination puzzle in 1990, what makes its shade-don't-fill mechanic unusual, and how it spread worldwide.
What Makes a Hitori Puzzle Hard?
What makes a Hitori puzzle hard? Grid size, how many duplicates appear, and how deep the deduction goes all play a part. Here's what separates an easy Hitori from a brutal one.
Do You Have to Guess in Hitori? What-If Reasoning Explained
Do you have to guess in Hitori? No — a well-made Hitori is solvable by logic. Here's why, and how \"what-if\" reasoning (assume and check) is deduction, not guessing.
Why Is Hitori So Popular Around the World?
Hitori is far more popular worldwide than in the US — a Japanese puzzle with a huge global following, especially in Europe. Here's why Hitori travels so well, and where to play it.
How Hitori Puzzles Are Made (and Why They Have One Solution)
How are Hitori puzzles made? Inside the construction process: building from a Latin square, adding duplicate numbers, and verifying a single solution that keeps white cells connected.