Norinori

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Norinori puzzle

Norinori puzzle

The Japanese puzzle Norinori (のりのり), which is played on a grid field divided into square cells and highlighted areas, has simple rules and at the same time a complex solution.

As in most other games from Nikoli, the player’s task is to shade the required cells without breaking the game rules. But doing this is not as easy as it might seem at first glance.

Game history

The original source for the game Norinori is the universally recognized treasure trove of Japanese puzzles - Puzzle Communication Nikoli magazine. Since the 80s of the last century, a variety of games have been published on its pages, including the world famous Sudoku, popularized in English-speaking countries in 2005, although in fact its history goes back several centuries.

It is not known whether the game Norinori, which was also published in the 2000s, or more precisely in 2008, in the 124th issue of Nikoli magazine, can boast the same thing.

Nothing is known about the origins of its occurrence and, perhaps, it is also a version or interpretation of some ancient Japanese puzzle. One way or another, it is widely known in its circles, and has the same features as other classic Nikoli games: simplicity, logical component and lack of linguistic/cultural affiliation - this game does not contain any symbols, and will be equally understandable to any native speaker. language.

If you try to trace the etymology of the name of the game Norinori, then it is primarily associated with the Japanese word “nori” (のり), which translates as “algae”. With some imagination, the game rules can actually be interpreted as finding/highlighting algae areas on a sea map. Or on a square plate (kakuzara) - if we are talking about edible seaweed - the basis of Japanese cuisine.

One way or another, the puzzle can be solved without any interpretation - only through logic and deduction.

Try to play Norinori once (for free and without registration), and you will never part with this game!

How to solve Norinori puzzle

How to solve Norinori puzzle

Norinori is played on a rectangular, most often square field, which is divided not only into cells of the same size, but also into separate (circled) zones consisting of groups of these cells.

Game rules

The task of the player who starts solving the Norinori puzzle is to shade the cells in pairs: in the form of domino figures (1×2 and 2×1). Larger pieces are not used in this game, as they are prohibited by the rules, which consist of only four points:

  • On the playing field you can only cross out paired cells that border each other horizontally or vertically.
  • Each shaded cell must be part of a domino - a 1x2 or 2x1 figure.
  • In each selected region, only 2 cells should be shaded.
  • Shaded shapes (dominoes) can cross the boundaries of the area.

That is, one half of the domino can be in one area, and the other in the adjacent one. This leads to another unspoken rule - if one of the domino figures goes beyond the boundaries of the area, then in the same area there is another figure protruding beyond its boundaries (since in total each area should contain only 2 shaded cells).

During the game, you can not only shade cells, but also mark them as “empty”, for example, with dots or crosses. This makes it easier to find a solution if you are unsure of your next move.

The puzzle is considered solved when all the domino pieces take their proper places, since each Norinori has only one correct solution.