Pencil puzzles are logic puzzles you can solve with a pencil, paper and careful deductions. Some are number grids, some are picture puzzles, some ask you to draw a loop, and some are compact strategy games that work beautifully on a printed page.
This roundup keeps the explanations short on purpose. Use it as a catalogue: scan the puzzle types, pick one that sounds interesting, then follow the link whenever Logic Puzzles Online has a playable version.
Number, shading, loop, path, placement, region and classic paper strategy puzzles.
Pick the thing you like doing: filling digits, shading cells, drawing lines or placing objects.
Every linked entry points to the matching playable puzzle on this site.
Pencil puzzles list
The list below is grouped by solving style. Puzzle names are often shared internationally, so several entries keep the common English or Japanese title used by solvers.
Number and arithmetic pencil puzzles
Number and arithmetic pencil puzzles are paper logic puzzles where the main marks are digits, candidates, totals, inequalities, visibility clues or arithmetic cages. This section targets number pencil puzzles like Sudoku, Kakuro, KenKen, Futoshiki, Skyscrapers and other arithmetic grid puzzles to play online or print.
Sudoku
Fill a grid with digits so every row, column and region follows the no-repeat rule.
Play onlineKiller Sudoku
Solve Sudoku with cage totals, using arithmetic clues as well as row and column logic.
Play onlineKakuro
Fill crossing runs with digits that add to each clue total without repeating inside a run.
Play onlineFutoshiki
Place numbers while obeying greater-than and less-than signs between neighbouring cells.
Play onlineKenKen
Use arithmetic cage clues to decide which numbers can fit in each row, column and region.
Play onlineSuko
Place a small set of digits so the marked circles and squares reach their target totals.
Play onlineSkyscrapers
Arrange building heights so the side clues show how many towers are visible.
Play onlineSuguru
Fill a grid with digits so every row, column and region follows the no-repeat rule.
Play onlineHidato
Create a chain of consecutive numbers, usually with every next number touching the previous one.
Play onlineThermometers
Fill digits so values rise along each thermometer while the grid rules still hold.
Play onlineBinary
Fill cells with two symbols while balancing each row and column and avoiding long repeats.
Play onlineCalcudoku
Use arithmetic cage clues to decide which numbers can fit in each row, column and region.
No game yetStr8ts
Place digits in straight consecutive runs while using row and column restrictions.
No game yetArrow Sudoku
A Sudoku variant that adds extra clue types on top of the familiar 9x9 no-repeat grid.
No game yetSandwich Sudoku
A Sudoku variant that adds extra clue types on top of the familiar 9x9 no-repeat grid.
No game yetKropki Sudoku
A Sudoku variant that adds extra clue types on top of the familiar 9x9 no-repeat grid.
No game yetShading and painting pencil puzzles
Shading and painting pencil puzzles turn the grid into a pattern, picture, wall, island system or set of marked cells. This group is for visual pencil puzzles, Nonogram-style logic puzzles, shaded grid puzzles and paper puzzles where progress appears directly on the page.
Nonogram
Use row and column clues to paint cells and reveal a hidden pixel picture.
Play onlineNurikabe
Separate white islands with a connected wall while matching each numbered region clue.
Play onlineHitori
Shade repeated numbers until every row and column has no duplicate visible values.
Play onlineKuromasu
Shade cells so numbered squares can see exactly the required number of white cells.
Play onlineHeyawake
Shade cells inside rooms while respecting room boundaries, adjacency rules and row or column limits.
Play onlineTapa
Use numbered clues to decide which surrounding cells must be shaded or left open.
Play onlineNorinori
Shade domino-like pairs inside regions while preventing oversized shaded groups.
Play onlineLITS
Shade tetromino shapes in regions while keeping the shaded area connected.
Play onlineFillomino
Divide the grid into numbered areas whose size matches the number inside them.
Play onlineMosaic
Paint cells around each clue so the local count matches the number shown.
Play onlineAkari
Place lights so every open cell is illuminated and numbered walls get the right count.
Play onlineYin-Yang
Colour cells into two connected groups while avoiding forbidden 2x2 blocks.
Play onlineNurimisaki
Use numbered clues to decide which surrounding cells must be shaded or left open.
No game yetCave
Separate white islands with a connected wall while matching each numbered region clue.
No game yetShakashaka
Use numbered clues to decide which surrounding cells must be shaded or left open.
No game yetLine, loop and path pencil puzzles
Line, loop and path pencil puzzles are solved by drawing a route through the grid: a closed loop, bridge network, paired connection or clean path. They cover loop puzzles, path puzzles, connection puzzles and pencil-and-paper grid puzzles where the answer is drawn rather than filled with numbers.
Slitherlink
Draw one loop around cell edges so each clue sees the correct number of used edges.
Play onlineMasyu
Draw a single loop through pearl clues, following turn and straight-line rules.
Play onlineYajilin
Draw a loop while using arrow clues and shaded blocks to control its route.
Play onlineNumberlink
Connect matching numbers or symbols with paths that do not cross or share cells.
Play onlineHashi
Connect numbered islands with horizontal and vertical bridges until one network is formed.
Play onlineGalaxies
Divide the grid into rotationally symmetric areas centred on the marked dots.
Play onlineCountry Road
Draw a single route through regions while obeying entry, exit and clue restrictions.
No game yetArukone
Connect matching numbers or symbols with paths that do not cross or share cells.
No game yetPlacement and region pencil puzzles
Placement and region pencil puzzles ask you to put objects, shapes, stars, tents, ships or borders into the only positions that satisfy the clues. They cover object-placement logic puzzles, region division puzzles and compact paper puzzles where short rules create a lot of deduction.
Tents and Trees
Place tents beside trees while keeping tents apart and matching row and column counts.
Play onlineStar Battle
Place stars so every row, column and region has the required count without touching stars.
Play onlineQueens
Place queens or crowns so rows, columns and regions are satisfied without attacks.
Play onlineShikaku
Split the grid into rectangles, each containing one clue that gives its area.
Play onlineBattleship
Hide a fleet in the grid using row and column counts and non-touching ship rules.
Play onlineRipple Effect
Fill each room with numbers while keeping equal numbers separated by distance rules.
No game yetTatamibari
Divide the grid into rectangles using clues that describe how each rectangle touches others.
No game yetClassic pencil strategy games
Classic pencil strategy games broaden the roundup beyond solitary logic puzzles into two-player paper games, abstract grid games and quick pencil-and-paper contests. They still fit the pencil puzzle tradition because all you need is a drawn board, a few marks and careful tactical thinking.
Dots and Boxes
Take turns drawing edges; completed boxes score points, so timing matters.
Play onlineNine Men's Morris
Place and move pieces to make rows of three while blocking your opponent's mills.
Play onlineTwelve Men's Morris
Place and move pieces to make rows of three while blocking your opponent's mills.
Play onlineHex
Claim cells to connect opposite sides of the board before your opponent does.
Play onlineAtaxx
Spread pieces across the board, converting nearby enemy pieces as you expand.
Play onlineOrder and Chaos
One player tries to make a line while the other tries to prevent any line.
Play onlineHow to choose a pencil puzzle
If you like clean number logic, start with Sudoku, Futoshiki, KenKen or Kakuro. If you enjoy visual progress, try Nonogram, Mosaic, Nurikabe or Yin-Yang. If drawing a single elegant route sounds satisfying, Slitherlink, Masyu, Yajilin and Numberlink are natural next steps.
Difficulty varies more by puzzle design than by puzzle type. A gentle Kakuro can be easier than a hard Sudoku, and a small Masyu can be tougher than it looks. The best route is to choose a style you enjoy and build familiarity from easy grids upward.
Choose number puzzles when you like candidates, totals and exact exclusions.
Choose shading puzzles when you like visual patterns and local constraints.
Choose loop and path puzzles when you like spatial reasoning.
Choose placement puzzles when you like compact rules with a lot of deduction.
Playing pencil puzzles online
A printed pencil puzzle is still lovely, but online versions make it easier to undo, check mistakes, switch sizes and learn a new rule set without redrawing a grid. That is why the links above point to our playable versions wherever possible.
No images are required for this article in the current site style. The roundup is text-led and works best as a fast reference, with the game links doing the visual and interactive work.
Pencil Puzzles FAQ
What are pencil puzzles?
Pencil puzzles are puzzles designed to be solved with simple marks on paper: numbers, shaded cells, lines, symbols or object placements.
Are pencil puzzles the same as logic puzzles?
Many pencil puzzles are logic puzzles, but the term is broader. It can also include paper strategy games, word puzzles and visual deduction puzzles.
What is the best pencil puzzle for beginners?
Sudoku, Nonogram, Tents and Trees, Futoshiki and Binary are good starting points because their rules are short and early deductions are easy to see.
Can I play these pencil puzzles online?
Yes. Entries with a play link point to the matching online puzzle on Logic Puzzles Online.