Puzzles/Shading

Shade grid puzzles are named as such due to in order to solve the puzzle shading the grids is a must. Below are types of shading puzzles

Kuromasu

Rules

• Certain cells are shaded so that each number indicates total number of cells that are "visible"/ unshaded cells in the same row and column, including cells itself
• No cells with number can be shaded
• Shaded cells cannot touch except diagonally
• All unshaded cells must form a single continuous area, you can travel horizontal and vertically from cells to cells

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  Examples of solved Kuromasu

Clouds

Rules

• Shade rectangular group of cells so that each group is at least 2 cells wide and at least 2 cells tall ( > 2X2)
• Each shaded rectangular cannot touch at all even diagonally
• The number given is the number of shaded cells in each rows and columns

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  Cloud puzzles
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  Cloud solved puzzles

Light Up

Rules

• Place light bulbs in some empty cells so that each empty cells is illuminated
• Light bulbs illuminate every cell in their row and column until being blocked by black cell
• No light bulb can be illuminated by other light bulb
• Some black cells have number, corresponding to the number of touching, non diagonally cells

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  Example of empty puzzles
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  Example of solved puzzles

Mosaic

Rules

• Shade some grid cells, which may include the numbers printed on them
• A number in cell reveal the number of shaded touching cells, including touching diagonally and the cell itself
• The finished puzzle will reveal a simple picture

Gallery

• Example of solved puzzles
  Example of solved puzzles

Heyawake

Rules

• Shade some grid cells, so that no 2 shaded cells are adjacent (except diagonally) and unshaded cells forming single continuous area
• Any single horizontal or vertical group of unshaded cells cannot cross more than one bold line region
• Number cells may or may not be shaded but it always gives the precise amount of shaded cells inside the bold line region

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  Empty heyawake puzzles
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  Example of solved puzzles

Tapa

Rules

• Shade some cells to form contiguous shaded region
• Numbers in a cell reveal length of each group of touching shaded cells (Including diagonally touching cells)
• If there are more than one number in a cell, meaning there must be at least one unshaded cell
• Shaded cell cannot form 2X2 square or larger

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  Example of Tapa puzzles
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  Examples of Tapa solved puzzles

Minesweeper

Rules

• Place mines into empty cells in the grid
• Number in the cells meant that humber of mines touching the cells itself (including diagonally)
• Only one mine may be placed per cell

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  Example of Minesweeper puzzles
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  Example of solved Minesweeper puzzle

Snake

Rules

• Shade some cells to form a single snake that starts and ends at the given cells
• The "snake does not cross over itself
• The snake does not touch itself (even diagonally, except when turning cornet)
• Number outside the grid specify number of cells in row/column contain part of the snakes

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  Example of snake puzzle
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  Example of solved snake puzzle

Hitori

Rules

• Shade some cells so that no numbers repeat in any row of column
• Shaded cells cannot touch except diagonally
• All shaded cells must form a single unconnected region

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  Example of Hitori solved puzzles

Mochikoro

Rules

• Shade some cells so that every numbers in the puzzle remain as part of continuous unshaded rectangle of precisely the given cells
• Shaded cells cannot form areas larger than 2X2
• Not all unshaded rectangles are necessarily marked with numbers
• In this puzzle, rectangle can meant square too.

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  Example of solved puzzles

Star Battle

Rules

• Place stars in some cells so that each row , column and outlined region contains exactly two stars
• Stars cannot touch each other, not even diagonally

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  Example of Star Battle puzzles
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  Example of solved Star Battle puzzle