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Binairo for Beginners: Start Here

New to Binairo? Learn the three rules on a 6×6, then get used to three ideas: two alike side by side, two alike with a gap between them, and a line with half of one colour. Those three finish every Easy level in the game. This page puts the guides in that order, with a six-row warm-up to check yourself before you move up a size.

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Your path, in order

  1. Learn the rules. The Binairo rules page solves the game’s first level step by step. The one idea to take away: no three alike side by side, half of each colour in every line, and no two lines the same.
  2. Solve your first 6×6 with pairs and gaps. Two alike side by side: the squares at either end are the other colour. Two alike with a square between them: that square is the other colour.
  3. Count every line. Once a line has half of one colour, the rest of it is the other.
  4. Learn the techniques one at a time. How to solve Binairo covers all five; the first three are all you need on Easy.
  5. Do the warm-up below. Six rows, each practising an idea from the guides above.
  6. Pick up speed. The Binairo tips page adds where to look after every move.
  7. When a puzzle goes wrong, read the six common mistakes. The big one is filling a square before it’s certain.
  8. Move up a size when you’re ready (see below).

Warm-up: six rows

Each is a row of six squares, so it needs three yellow and three teal. Work out what you can be sure of, then open the answer. Every answer is everything that row can tell you on its own.

1. Two yellow side by side

Two yellow side by side Two yellow side by side: what can you work out? 1 2 3 4 5 6 1
Show the answer
Two yellow side by side: the answer Two yellow side by side, with the squares it settles highlighted. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1

Squares 1 and 4 are teal. A third yellow at either end of the pair would make three in a row.

2. One square between two teal

One square between two teal One square between two teal: what can you work out? 1 2 3 4 5 6 1
Show the answer
One square between two teal: the answer One square between two teal, with the squares it settles highlighted. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1

Square 4 is yellow. If it were teal, squares 3 to 5 would be three teal in a row.

3. Half of one colour

Half of one colour Half of one colour: what can you work out? 1 2 3 4 5 6 1
Show the answer
Half of one colour: the answer Half of one colour, with the squares it settles highlighted. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1

Squares 4 and 5 are teal. The row already has three yellow, in squares 1, 3 and 6, which is half of six, so the rest must be teal.

4. A pair at the start of a row

A pair at the start of a row A pair at the start of a row: what can you work out? 1 2 3 4 5 6 1
Show the answer
A pair at the start of a row: the answer A pair at the start of a row, with the squares it settles highlighted. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1

Square 3 is yellow: it’s at the end of the pair of teal. But there’s more. The row now needs one more teal and two more yellow in squares 4 to 6. If square 6 were teal, squares 4 and 5 would both be yellow, and with square 3 that’s three yellow in a row. So square 6 is yellow too.

5. Two squares left, and a row not to copy

Two squares left, and a row not to copy Two squares left, and a row not to copy: what can you work out? 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2
Show the answer
Two squares left, and a row not to copy: the answer Two squares left, and a row not to copy, with the squares it settles highlighted. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2

Square 5 is yellow and square 6 is teal. The bottom row needs one of each, and the top row matches it everywhere else. Teal then yellow would make the two rows the same, so it’s yellow then teal.

6. Only one way works

Only one way works Only one way works: what can you work out? 1 2 3 4 5 6 1
Show the answer
Only one way works: the answer Only one way works, with the squares it settles highlighted. 1 2 3 4 5 6 1

Square 1 is teal. If it were yellow, the row would have three yellow already (squares 1, 2 and 6), so squares 3 and 4 would both be teal, and with square 5 that’s three teal in a row. The other squares can still go more than one way.

When to move up a size

You’re ready for Medium (8×8) when you can finish Easy levels without guessing, you spot pairs and gaps along columns as easily as rows, and you count every line without thinking about it.

The bigger sizes don’t just take longer; they ask for more. Every Easy level finishes with pairs, gaps and the full count. On Medium, 49 of the 50 levels also need you to list the arrangements of a line, about 5 times per puzzle, and 41 need no repeats. On Hard (10×10), every level needs arrangements, about 8 times each.

Next steps

Questions

Is Binairo good for beginners?

Yes. The three rules take a minute to learn, and every Easy level in the game finishes with just three ideas: pairs, gaps and the full count.

Do I need to be good at maths?

No. There’s no adding up, only counting to three, four or five, depending on the size of the grid.

How long should a puzzle take?

As long as it takes. PeerPuzzles keeps your best time for every level, so you can see yourself improve without trying to.