How to Play Nurikabe
Shade cells to create a connected sea of black cells. Each numbered white island must have exactly that many white cells and islands cannot touch each other.
Try it now — Easy 7x7 →The Rules
- Shade cells black to form a single connected "sea"
- Each white numbered island contains exactly as many white cells as its number
- White islands cannot touch each other horizontally or vertically
- The black sea cannot contain any 2×2 black square
Available in 4 sizes (5x5, 7x7, 10x10, 14x14) and 3 difficulty levels (easy, normal, hard).
See It in Action
Shade cells to form one connected sea — white islands keep exactly their numbered size
How to Play
- Cells between two separate numbered white islands must be black — mark them immediately
- Expand white islands cell by cell, never exceeding the target size
- Ensure all black cells are connected — isolated black groups are illegal
- Prevent 2×2 black squares by forcing at least one cell in any three-black L-shape to stay white
Pro Tips
A "1" island is just that single cell — all its horizontal and vertical neighbours must be black
If two islands are adjacent, there must be a black cell between them to separate them
Work outward from given numbers: every cell the island can reach within its size is potentially white
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nurikabe?
Nurikabe is a logic puzzle where you shade cells to form a single connected sea. White islands each contain exactly one number equal to their size, and islands cannot touch each other horizontally or vertically.
Choose Your Challenge
Start with easy to learn the rules, then progress to harder difficulties.