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Hitori for Beginners: Start Here

New to Hitori? Learn the three rules on a 5×5, find the sandwiches, and keep the chain going: every shaded square circles its neighbours, and every circled number shades its twins. This page puts the guides in that order, with a short warm-up to check yourself before you move up a size.

Open Hitori full screen for more sizes, saved progress and best times.

Your path, in order

  1. Learn the rules. The Hitori rules page solves the game’s first level step by step. The one idea to take away: no repeats among unshaded squares, no shaded squares side by side, and all the unshaded squares joined up.
  2. Start every puzzle with sandwiches. A number between two of the same stays unshaded. Every level in the game has at least one.
  3. Keep the chain going. Shade a square, circle its neighbours; circle a number, shade its twins.
  4. Learn the techniques one at a time. How to solve Hitori covers all six; the chain and cut-off are what Easy levels need.
  5. Do the warm-up below. Five small positions, each practising one idea, and a whole 4×4 to finish.
  6. Pick up speed. The Hitori tips page adds where to look after every move.
  7. When a puzzle goes wrong, read the six common mistakes. The big one is shading a square before it’s certain.
  8. Move up a size when you’re ready (see below).

Warm-up

Work out what you can be sure of in each, then open the answer. A circle marks a square that stays unshaded.

1. A number between two 3s

A number between two 3s A number between two 3s: what can you be sure of? 3 1 3 2 3 1 1 2 2 1 2 3 1 2 3
Show the answer
A number between two 3s: the answer A number between two 3s, with what it settles highlighted. 3 1 3 2 3 1 1 2 2 1 2 3 1 2 3

The 1 in row 1 stays unshaded. If it were shaded, neither 3 beside it could be, so both would stay, and repeat.

2. A circled 2

A circled 2 A circled 2: what can you be sure of? 2 3 2 3 1 2 2 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Show the answer
A circled 2: the answer A circled 2, with what it settles highlighted. 2 3 2 3 1 2 2 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

The other 2 in row 1 and the other 2 in column 1 are shaded. The circled 2 stays, so its twins in its row and column must go.

3. A shaded square on the edge

A shaded square on the edge A shaded square on the edge: what can you be sure of? 1 2 3 3 1 2 2 3 1 1 2 3 1 2 3
Show the answer
A shaded square on the edge: the answer A shaded square on the edge, with what it settles highlighted. 1 2 3 3 1 2 2 3 1 1 2 3 1 2 3

The three squares beside it stay unshaded: above, below and to the right. Shaded squares can’t touch side by side.

4. Two 5s side by side, and a third

Two 5s side by side, and a third Two 5s side by side, and a third: what can you be sure of? 5 5 1 2 5 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 2 5 3 4 1 5 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
Show the answer
Two 5s side by side, and a third: the answer Two 5s side by side, and a third, with what it settles highlighted. 5 5 1 2 5 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 2 5 3 4 1 5 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

The 5 at the end of row 1 is shaded. The two 5s side by side can’t both be shaded, so one of them stays, and the third 5 has to go.

5. Two circled corners

Two circled corners Two circled corners: what can you be sure of? 1 2 3 2 3 1 3 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3
Show the answer
Two circled corners: the answer Two circled corners, with what it settles highlighted. 1 2 3 2 3 1 3 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3

The first and last squares of row 2 stay unshaded. Each top corner already has a shaded square beside it; shading the square below it as well would wall the corner in.

6. A whole 4 × 4

A whole 4 × 4 A 4 by 4 Hitori to finish. Rows: 4 1 3 2; 2 1 1 2; 1 3 3 4; 2 2 4 1. 4 1 3 2 2 1 1 2 1 3 3 4 2 2 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Show the answer
A whole 4 × 4: the answer The solution: row 2, columns 2 and 4; row 3, column 3; row 4, column 1 are shaded. 4 1 3 2 2 1 1 2 1 3 3 4 2 2 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Four squares are shaded. Start with the sandwiches, along rows and down columns, then follow the chain, and finish with cut-off. Every number left is alone in its row and column, no shaded squares touch, and the rest join up.

When to move up a size

You’re ready for Medium (7×7) when you can finish Easy levels without guessing, spot sandwiches down columns as easily as along rows, and circle as you go without thinking about it.

The bigger sizes ask for more than the chain. Cut-off is needed on 48 of the 50 Easy levels and every Medium and Hard one, but what if is never needed on Easy, only on 7 of the Medium levels, and on every Hard level, about twice per puzzle.

Next steps

Questions

Is Hitori good for beginners?

Yes. The three rules take a minute, and every Easy level in the game starts with a sandwich, so there’s always a sure first move.

Do I need to be good at maths?

No. The numbers are just labels: you only ever check whether two are the same.

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.