How to Play: Daily Mosaic
🎨 The Goal
Shade the correct cells to reveal a hidden pixel image!
🔢 The Rules
A number clue dictates exactly how many cells must be shaded in the 3x3 grid area centered around that specific number. This 3x3 block includes the square containing the number itself along with its up to eight immediate neighbors (horizontally, vertically, and diagonally).
When a number appears on the outer edges or corners of the game board, the 3x3 block is truncated to only include the cells that physically exist within the grid boundary. For instance, a number in a corner cell only has exactly four squares in its possible area. If you see a '4' placed in a corner, it means every single one of those four available squares must be filled. Similarly, a clue located on a flat edge will only have a maximum of six squares in its immediate vicinity.
True Daily Mosaic puzzles are strictly designed to be solved using pure logic and deductive reasoning. This means that you never have to guess. By carefully analyzing the board and trusting the numbers, every single square's state can be determined with absolute certainty.
👆 The Controls
- Click once to shade a cell.
- Click again to mark it with an ✕ (known empty).
- Click a third time to clear the cell.
🚦 The Feedback
- 🟩 Green clue: You have the exact correct amount of shaded cells around this number.
- 🔴 Red clue: You have shaded too many cells around this number!
⭐ Pro-Tip for Beginners
Always kick off your puzzle solving journey by scanning the entire grid for the easiest clues: 0s and 9s. When you find a '0', you know immediately that none of its surrounding squares are filled, so mark all available cells in its area with an ✕. When you spot a '9', you must shade all nine cells in its block. This gives you an instant head start and establishes a strong foundation of known squares across the board.
As you progress, the key to advanced logic lies in analyzing overlapping 3x3 blocks. Because clues are packed tightly together, many squares are shared between adjacent numbers. You can deduce the exact location of shared cells by comparing these overlapping areas. For example, if a '0' clue and a '3' clue are right next to each other, they will share several neighboring cells. Since the '0' dictates that all its surrounding cells must be completely empty, any squares shared with the '0' cannot be filled. Therefore, the '3' clue is forced to place all of its filled cells into the remaining spaces that are strictly outside the '0' area.
Consistently using the ✕ mark is a crucial habit for this overlapping strategy. By visually crossing out cells that you are mathematically certain must stay empty, you dramatically reduce mental fatigue, track your logical deductions effortlessly, and prevent cascading mistakes as you navigate the more complex, tightly grouped numbers in the later stages of the puzzle.
About Daily Mosaic
Daily Mosaic is our version of the classic pixel-art logic puzzle originally invented by former high school math teacher Trevor Truran in the early 2000s. He developed this puzzle format specifically to reduce "math anxiety" in students, proving that dealing with numbers can be a purely logical, highly visual, and rewarding experience. Think of it as the non-explosive, picture-forming cousin of Minesweeper, where localized number clues guide you to reveal a hidden pixel art creation.
Unlike many other puzzle games that rely on trial and error, Daily Mosaic puzzles are built entirely on real number theory and logic principles. You will never need to guess. Every single square can be determined with certainty, and deducing where an empty space must go is often the key to unlocking the entire picture.