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Free printable nurikabe

Nurikabe is an island-and-sea shading puzzle. Every number on the 9x9 grid belongs to an island of exactly that many unshaded cells joined edge to edge, and each island holds only one number. Islands never touch each other along an edge, the shaded sea must stay in one connected piece, and no 2x2 block can be entirely sea. Solvers who like region puzzles such as Fillomino, but want a sea-versus-land picture instead of written sizes, often enjoy Nurikabe.

Solution page included
Printable Nurikabe puzzle page
Download the puzzle (PNG)Download the solutionSave to Pinterest
Peek at the solutionNurikabe solution page

This page gives you a 6x9 inch high-resolution PNG of a 9x9 Nurikabe with sparse numbered clues, plus a matching solution PNG that shows the finished islands and sea. There is no signup. Print the page and shade with a pencil.

How to play

  1. Treat each number as an island of exactly that many unshaded cells, including the numbered cell.
  2. Give every island only one number, and keep islands from touching along an edge.
  3. Shade the remaining cells into one connected sea.
  4. Never shade a 2x2 block as all sea, then check the solution PNG.

Print at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper so the 9x9 cells stay large enough to shade the sea cleanly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I download a Nurikabe solution with the islands and sea filled in?

Yes. The solution PNG on this page shows which cells of the 9x9 are sea and which belong to each numbered island. Download it with the puzzle if you want to check a region, or wait until the sea is fully connected.

Is this Nurikabe printable free?

Yes. Both PNG files download at no cost, with no signup and no email gate. You may print them for personal use. This page is a single puzzle image, not a PDF book and not an online player.

Who will get the most from this 9x9 Nurikabe?

It is aimed at solvers who like Japanese shading puzzles and are comfortable holding two constraints at once: island size and a connected sea. The 9x9 with 1s, 2s, 3s, and one 4 is a compact sitting for teens and adults. Beginners can start by boxing in the 1s, which are finished islands on their own, then grow the sea around them.

How should I print this Nurikabe so the empty cells stay easy to shade?

Print the PNG at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper. The 9x9 cells are mostly blank, so you need room to mark sea versus island without the grid looking cramped. Skip fit-to-page and use black ink; a pencil with an eraser helps while you test the no-2x2-sea rule.

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