Hitori

THE PLAYBOOK · W3CHACK

How to play Hitori

Make Hitori your next activity in the game library. Shade repeated numbers while keeping black cells separated and all white cells connected. Choose a clear next step rather than rushing through the instructions. Treat the first round as a chance to learn the controls. Choose a clear next step rather than rushing through the instructions.

Play twelve 5×5 puzzles. Any shaded starting cells remain fixed.

Make the controls familiar

Locate the buttons and input area before beginning a long round. Use the on-screen labels to avoid an accidental restart. Use the example to check your reasoning.

Your goal

Shade repeated numbers while keeping black cells separated and all white cells connected. An attractive position is not enough unless the goal is met. Follow this game’s rules rather than another version’s.

Step by step

1. Click a cell to shade, mark or clear it.
2. No unshaded number may repeat in a row or column.
3. Black cells cannot share an edge.
4. Check puzzle verifies duplicates and connectivity.

Controls

Click or tap squares or graph edges. Number boards include a digit pad. Undo reverses the previous change; Check puzzle validates the solution. Use the control method described here for this activity. A new-round button replaces the current round.

A useful example

Two identical unshaded numbers in one row cannot both remain. Compare this with the rule that governs the move. Notice the change in the playing area.

Watch out for this

Removing every duplicate can disconnect white cells. A different version of the game may use a different rule. Take enough time to read a new position. If a game has a timer, learn its controls first rather than searching for them during the round.

Common questions