How to play Hitori
Shade some squares so that:
- no number appears more than once among the unshaded squares of any row or column;
- shaded squares never touch each other side by side (diagonal is fine);
- all unshaded squares stay connected in one piece (moving up, down, left or right).
Controls
Tap a square to cycle: shade ⬛ → circle ◯ (mark as definitely unshaded) → clear. Drag across squares to paint the same mark on several. Keyboard: arrow keys move, S or X shades, O or C circles, Space cycles, Delete clears. Undo/Redo, Hint, Check and Pause are below the grid. Broken rules glow red when conflict highlighting is on.
Tips
In a pattern like 2 3 2, the middle square must stay white — one of the 2s is shaded and they can't both be. Next to a shaded square, every neighbour is white (circle it). A number that's unique in its row and column never needs shading. Sizes 5×5 to 9×9; each puzzle has exactly one solution.
About this hitori
Shade cells so no number repeats in a row or column. Play Hitori free in your browser on desktop, tablet or phone. It works offline once loaded — perfect for travel. Your progress and best scores are saved on your device.
Hitori FAQ
Is Hitori free to play?
Yes. Hitori is completely free on GamesVora. There is nothing to download or install and you don't need an account.
Can I play Hitori offline?
Yes. Once you have opened GamesVora while online, Hitori is saved on your device and you can keep playing without an internet connection.
Does Hitori work on mobile phones and tablets?
Yes. Hitori works in any modern browser on Android phones, iPhones, iPads, tablets, laptops and desktop computers, with touch, mouse and keyboard controls.
Is my progress saved?
Your settings, best scores and statistics are saved in your browser on this device. Clearing your browser data will reset them.
What other games are like Hitori?
If you enjoy Hitori, try the other games in our Logic Puzzles collection — they are all free and work offline too.
