Akari Puzzle Glossary — All Terms
Number Cell — A number cell is a black cell in an Akari puzzle that displays a digit from 0 to 4. This number tells you exactly how many light bulbs (or cats, on GridPaw) are placed in the four orthogonally adjacent cells — up, down, left, and right.
Number cells are the primary source of logical constraints in every Akari puzzle. A "0" means none of its neighbors can hold a bulb. A "4" means all four neighbors must contain one. A "2" means exactly two of the four adjacent cells have bulbs. The number never counts diagonal neighbors — only the four orthogonal directions.
Every Akari player needs to understand number cells. They are the foundation of all solving techniques. Start by scanning for "0" and "4" cells — they give the most information with the least effort.
A "0" cell means none of its four neighbors can hold a bulb. Mark all four adjacent cells with X marks immediately.
A "4" cell means all four neighbors must be bulbs. Place cats in all four adjacent cells right away.
For "2" or "3" cells, count how many adjacent cells are still available. If a "3" cell has one neighbor already blocked, the other three must all be bulbs.
After each placement, check what new constraints are triggered. Newly placed bulbs illuminate rows and columns, which may force or eliminate other placements.
A "0" means none of its four adjacent cells can contain a light bulb. It immediately eliminates four positions, which often triggers a chain of further deductions.
No. Number cells only count orthogonal neighbors — up, down, left, and right. Diagonal cells are not counted.
No. Number cells are fixed clues placed by the puzzle designer. They are always correct. If your bulbs conflict with a number cell, the error is in your placement.
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