Nonogram vs Picross vs Griddler: What's the Difference?

Search for this puzzle and you'll meet a confusing pile of names: nonogram, picross, griddler, hanjie, Japanese crossword, even "pixel puzzle." So what is the difference between a nonogram and picross? The short answer is none. They are all the same puzzle, the grid logic game where number clues tell you which cells to fill to reveal a hidden picture. The names are just different brands and translations for one idea. Here's where each one comes from and why it matters.

They are all the same puzzle

A nonogram is a logic puzzle on a grid. Each row and column has number clues that give the lengths of consecutive runs of filled cells, and when you fill the grid correctly, the shaded cells form a picture. Whether someone calls it picross or hanjie, the rules are identical, and a solver who learns one can play all of them. If you want the full rulebook, see how to solve nonograms.

So why so many names? Because the puzzle was invented, named, popularized, and translated by different people in different places. Each name is a snapshot of that history.

Nonogram

"Nonogram" is the generic, widely accepted name, and the one you'll see in dictionaries and on Wikipedia. The story goes that the puzzle was co-developed in Japan in the late 1980s, and the name "nonogram" is often credited to Non Ishida, one of the puzzle's pioneers, whose first name lent itself to the term. It is the safest word to use when you want to be understood everywhere and not tread on a trademark.

Picross

"Picross" is a blend of "picture" and "crossword," and it is the name Nintendo used for its hugely popular series of these puzzles, starting with Mario's Picross in the 1990s and continuing through the Picross games on later consoles. Because those games reached so many people, "picross" became the name a whole generation knows the puzzle by. Strictly, it is a Nintendo trademark, but in everyday search and conversation it has become genericized, and it is one of the most-searched names for the puzzle by far.

Griddler

"Griddler" is the name popularized in the UK, coined by puzzle compiler and publisher circles there. You'll see it in British newspapers and puzzle magazines. It comes from "grid," and like the others, it refers to exactly the same fill-the-cells logic puzzle.

Hanjie

"Hanjie" is another name common in British puzzle publications. It looks Japanese and is used as if it were the puzzle's original name, though it functions in the same way as griddler, a publisher's brand for the standard nonogram. If you see "hanjie" in a puzzle book, you already know how to play it.

Japanese crossword and pixel puzzle

You'll also run into descriptive names. "Japanese crossword" or "Japanese puzzle" nods to the puzzle's origin in Japan and its crossword-like grid of clues. "Pixel puzzle" or "pixel art puzzle" describes the result, since the finished picture looks like low-resolution pixel art. Neither is a separate puzzle, just a different way of pointing at the same thing.

Nanogram and nonagram (the misspellings)

Two more spellings show up constantly: "nanogram" and "nonagram." These are simply misspellings of nonogram, mixed up with the metric prefix "nano" or the word "anagram." They are not different puzzles. If you searched for a nanogram or a nonagram and landed here, you're in the right place, the puzzle you want is the nonogram.

A quick reference

Name	Origin / context
Nonogram	Generic name, credited to Non Ishida (Japan)
Picross	Nintendo's brand ("picture crossword")
Griddler	UK publisher name (from "grid")
Hanjie	UK puzzle-magazine name
Japanese crossword	Descriptive, nods to the puzzle's origin
Pixel puzzle	Descriptive, refers to the picture result
Nanogram / nonagram	Common misspellings of nonogram

Does the name change the puzzle? No.

Whatever label is on the box, the puzzle plays the same: read the clues, fill the runs, mark the empties, reveal the picture. The skills carry over completely. So if you learned on Nintendo's picross and want a free browser version, or you grew up on newspaper griddlers, you already know how to play every nonogram we make.

Curious where the puzzle actually came from? Our history of nonograms covers the Japanese origin and how picross took it worldwide. Ready to play one? Jump into a grid below, by any name you like.

Frequently asked questions

Is picross the same as a nonogram?

Yes. Picross and nonogram are the same puzzle. "Picross" is Nintendo's brand name (short for "picture crossword"), while "nonogram" is the generic term. The rules, clues, and solving techniques are identical.

What is a nonogram called in different countries?

It goes by nonogram (generic and US), picross (Nintendo's name, known worldwide), and griddler or hanjie (common in the UK). It is also described as a Japanese crossword or pixel puzzle. All of these refer to the same grid logic puzzle.

Why do people spell it nanogram or nonagram?

Those are common misspellings of "nonogram," usually confused with the metric prefix "nano" or the word "anagram." They are not different puzzles, just typos for the same thing.

What does a nonogram look like when solved?

The filled cells form a picture, usually simple pixel art like an animal, object, or symbol. That picture reveal is the payoff of the puzzle and the reason it is also called a picture cross or pixel puzzle.