How to Play Hitori
Shade cells to eliminate number duplicates in rows and columns. Shaded cells cannot touch each other, and all unshaded cells must remain connected.
Try it now — Easy 7x7 →The Rules
- Shade cells so that no number appears more than once in any row or column
- No two shaded cells may be horizontally or vertically adjacent
- All unshaded cells must form a single connected region
- Shaded cells remain on the grid but their values are ignored
Available in 3 sizes (5x5, 7x7, 8x8) and 3 difficulty levels (easy, normal, hard).
See It in Action
Shade duplicate numbers to eliminate them — shaded cells cannot touch each other
How to Play
- Find rows or columns with three or more of the same number — shade duplicates using the non-adjacency rule
- Mark cells as definitely unshaded when shading them would create an illegal adjacency
- Ensure all unshaded cells stay connected — trace the white region as you go
- Iterate between uniqueness, non-adjacency, and connectivity rules until the grid is solved
Pro Tips
A number appearing twice in a row forces one to be shaded — the cells adjacent to both instances are then safe (unshaded)
Start with rows that have the most duplicates — they're the most constrained and easiest to start
A "bridge" unshaded cell connecting two groups can never be shaded — it would disconnect the white region
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hitori?
Hitori is a logic puzzle where you shade cells so that no number appears twice in any row or column. Shaded cells cannot be adjacent horizontally or vertically, and all unshaded cells must remain connected.
Choose Your Challenge
Start with easy to learn the rules, then progress to harder difficulties.