Kuromasu Solving Tips
Kuromasu is about ranges. Each number commits a stretch of squares to white and demands a black just beyond. New here? Read the rules first.
1. Big numbers clear lines
A number close to its maximum (row plus column minus one) sees nearly everything: dot the squares it must see. The squares just beyond its reach in each direction are then forced black.
2. Small numbers blacken neighbours
A 1 is walled in: all four neighbours are black (or off the board). A 2 has exactly one white neighbour. Check which option keeps the whites connected.
3. Numbers facing each other
Two numbers in the same row see each other if nothing is black between them, and then each counts the other and the squares between. Compare their values: if one is too small to see the other, a black must sit between them.
4. Never isolate a white
A black square that would cut off a white region is impossible. Corners and squares next to blacks are the usual victims; dot them.
5. Use dots freely
Marking squares white is as useful as blackening. Every dot shortens the options for the neighbouring numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start a Kuromasu puzzle?
With the extremes. A number equal to its maximum possible view (the whole row and column) means every square in sight is white. A 2 means exactly one neighbour is white and the other three are black or off the board.
Last updated 2026-10-20