Daily Mosaic Puzzle โ€” Logic & Brain Game

How to Play: Daily Mosaic

๐ŸŽจ The Goal

Shade the cells that belong to the hidden picture.
Each puzzle reveals a pixel-art image as you solve it.

๐Ÿ”ข The Rules

Every number tells you how many cells in its 3ร—3 area must be shaded.
That includes the cell with the number and the cells immediately around it โ€” up, down, left, right, and diagonally.

On an edge or corner, use only the cells that exist on the board.
So:

  • A 0 means every available cell around it is empty.
  • A 9 means all 9 cells are shaded.
  • A 4 in a corner means all 4 available cells are shaded.
  • An edge clue can have up to 6 cells in its area.

๐Ÿ‘† The Controls

Click a cell to cycle through:
Shaded → โœ• Empty → Clear

The โœ• means you are certain that cell should stay empty.
Drag across cells to quickly shade or mark multiple cells at once.

๐Ÿšฆ The Feedback

  • ๐ŸŸฉ Green: The clue has exactly the right number of shaded cells.
  • ๐Ÿ”ด Red: The clue has too many shaded cells.

โญ Pro Tip

Start with the easiest clues:
0s → 9s → edges and corners

Then look for overlapping 3ร—3 areas. When two clues overlap, information from one clue can tell you which cells around the other clue must be shaded or left empty.

Use โœ• marks for cells you know are empty. They make overlapping clues much easier to solve.

You never need to guess. Solve each cell using logic.

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.

Mastering Mosaic puzzle

What is the main goal of the Mosaic puzzle?
The goal is to determine which squares in a grid should be filled and which should remain empty based on number clues, ultimately revealing a hidden pixel-art picture.
How do the number clues work?
Each number in the grid indicates exactly how many squares within its immediate 3x3 area (the square containing the number plus its up to eight neighbors) must be filled.
What is the best strategy for starting a puzzle?
Always start by looking for '0' clues and marking all their surrounding cells as empty (with an โœ•). Next, look for '9' clues, as all nine squares in their 3x3 area must be filled.
How do I handle clues on the edges or corners of the grid?
The rule remains the same, but the 3x3 area is truncated to only include cells within the grid. For example, a corner cell only has 4 squares in its area, so a '4' in a corner means all of those available squares must be filled.
What does the โœ• mark do?
Marking a cell with an โœ• means you are certain it stays empty. It is a crucial tool to help you track your logical deductions and prevent mistakes as you solve the puzzle.
Do I ever need to guess to solve the puzzle?
No. True Mosaic puzzles can always be solved using pure logic and deduction. By carefully analyzing overlapping 3x3 areas and shared cells, you never need to guess.
How do overlapping clues help me solve the puzzle?
By comparing adjacent clues, you can deduce shared cells. For example, if a '0' and a '3' share several cells, the '3' must have its filled cells in the spaces not shared with the '0' area.
Are Mosaic puzzles and Fill-a-Pix the same game?
Yes. Fill-a-Pix is the original name of the logic puzzle invented by Trevor Truran. Mosaic is simply another popular name for the exact same game.