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Japanese pencil puzzles — beginners

Nikoli-style grids rarely add. They run on adjacency, connection, loops. You do not need ten rule names on day one.

Updated 2026-09-22

Where to play Slitherlink online

The Slitherlink and Nurikabe pages under How to play cover rules and stuck points. Kwon-Tom Loop is the hardcore daily. For a random grid, puzz.link plays in the browser too — no account. Puzzle Picnic is a library. Hashiwokakero, Masyu, Yajilin and Heyawake can wait until these two no longer snag. Sites live under Where to play → Japanese pencil puzzles.

A pictured rule page beats a dictionary

You do not need Japanese. Use the type pages here or the Chinese Puzzle Team family for common types. When you stall, reread the rule or use a connectivity solver such as Noqx — do not dump the answer. Browser play is enough; no app required.

Stay on Sudoku if you are still learning 9×9

This page is for after you accept that a cell does not have to hold a digit. Until then, stay on the Sudoku type page and the Sudoku site list.

About this page
  • Last updated 2026-09-22
  • Source Editorial guide compiled by TappyPotato from public puzzle resources and site listings
  • Audience Players following a topic guide before opening type or site pages
  • Covers Guide sections on this page and links to related atlas pages
  • Does not cover Hosted puzzles, worked solutions, official contest rankings, third-party uptime guarantees
  • Not advice This page is puzzle reference content only. It does not constitute financial, legal, medical or other professional advice.
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