March 1, 2008
Picross 4 Kids
You may be a fan of the other grid-type puzzles out there. Like me, you may have tried to introduce your children to them (or your children may have begged to try after watching you puzzle over them each day).
En
ter Picross 4 Kids.
Picross For Kids is an illustrated logic puzzle book written by Matt Needham and Brandon Wood, a math major and father of 3. It sets out to make a unique kind of picture logic puzzle accessible and fun to kids starting as young as 5 or 6.
The book is 52 pages long (formatted sort of like a comic book), and features general instructions, practice puzzles, and many puzzles to solve from beginning to much more advanced. You can purchase a book or a printable ebook.
I will admit that it took Amanda (age 9) and I a little while to get the hang of it. Each puzzle features clues about which squares should be filled in. For example, in the puzzle below the numbers down the side signify the number of squares that should be filled in the row. The numbers directly above the columns show what should be filled in there. Where it gets tricky is the numbers that appear above those. The 1 in the first column means that after filling in two squares, you fill in one more square, but what makes it a puzzle is that you aren’t directed specifically where to put it. The end result is a picture, so you have to make guesses on where it will fit to complete the picture.
Does this sound like something you and your kids would enjoy solving together? This site has some samples and a full description if you’d like to buy it now or find out more.
This contest is open to everyone, in all geographic regions! We will award one print copy (to ship to U.S. or Canada only) and three downloadable and printable ebooks.
Leave a comment if you’d like to win. We’ll post the winners on March 9.
Filed under Contests, Kids Stuff, Product Reviews by Jennifer
223 Comments on Picross 4 Kids »
#1 - Amy R. @ 2:44 pm
My daughter would love this!
#2 - Jill H. @ 2:45 pm
Sounds like it would be perfect for my DD who’s always trying to figure out simple sudoku’s ….and she’s only 4!
#3 - tammy b @ 2:47 pm
sounds perfect for my family, count me in!
#4 - Rebecca Robertson @ 2:52 pm
would be great for my family!!
#5 - Queen B @ 3:23 pm
Sounds like fun! My daughter would love it. Thanks!!
#6 - Jane @ 3:25 pm
We would like this.
#7 - Tanya M. @ 3:32 pm
Sounds like something my two girls would enjoy! Thanks for offering!
#8 - Dawn @ 4:05 pm
We love stuff like that. I’ll have to check those out.
#9 - Kristine @ 4:19 pm
Looks like fun!
#10 - Kimbrah @ 4:28 pm
This would be great for our oldest son!
Thanks for hosting the contest!
#11 - Tara @ 4:36 pm
I’d like to win!
#12 - Kim @ 4:46 pm
Enter me please…
#13 - Lisa @ 4:47 pm
My girls BEG me to let them try my sudoku puzzle books. I always give in and end up with pages and pages of numbers all over. Even the simple ones are too hard for my kiddos. I’d love to get this for them. Consider me entered!
#14 - Jamie @ 5:04 pm
My son would love it
#15 - Rosie @ 6:24 pm
Anything that makes number work fun has to be a good thing!
#16 - Piseco @ 6:28 pm
What a great idea! I have been a huge fan of “picross” or paint-by-number puzzles (as they’re known in Games Magazine) for years. I’d love the chance to introduce them to my 5 1/2 year old son. Thanks for the contest!
#17 - Teri @ 6:29 pm
I would love to try these! I taught my 7-yr-old niece to do Sudoku & she loved them!
#18 - Reluctant Housewife @ 7:22 pm
Wow, my son would love these! Thanks for bringing them to my attention.
#19 - Meg @ 8:52 pm
I remember doing puzzles like this when I was a kid. Neat!
#20 - Andrea @ 9:01 pm
Sounds like fun! Please count me in.
#21 - Kristi @ 10:16 pm
My husband loves crosswords and this would be great for him to do with our kids!
#22 - BoSox Mommy @ 11:58 pm
That would be fun!
#23 - Timothy Sternberg @ 1:06 am
My daughter would love this!
#24 - Noreen @ 1:08 am
how fun!!
#25 - Christy @ 7:43 am
My girls would love this!
#26 - DARIJA @ 8:36 am
This sounds like fun, count me in
#27 - Heidi @ 8:44 am
My girls love puzzle books~ this one looks like fun. Sign me up!
#28 - Steph Elias @ 9:57 am
My son would love this. You can never have to many puzzle books!
#29 - SUSAN VARNEY @ 10:09 am
someone has to win why not me
#30 - charles reiman @ 10:12 am
grandkids would love it
#31 - SJ @ 10:17 am
My son would love this!
#32 - Penny Snyder @ 10:26 am
This would be great for my grandkids!!! Please enter me…..
#33 - Deb @ 10:39 am
Fun! Please include me.
#34 - Denise @ 10:49 am
Looks like fun and educational.
#35 - Jenny M @ 10:55 am
Wow- Looks like it could be a challenge for both mom and child here=)
#36 - jennifer bowen @ 10:58 am
i could realy use this for my little one
#37 - Louise Brouillette @ 11:04 am
Count me in
#38 - linda @ 11:16 am
great prize for the kiddies.
#39 - Vickie Couturier @ 11:29 am
yes,please count me in too
#40 - marcella hugentobler @ 11:33 am
Great gift for my grandchildren.
#41 - Shannon Baas @ 11:39 am
So fun.
#42 - Patricia Schraier @ 11:49 am
I’d like to try this.
#43 - Karen Gonyea @ 12:11 pm
My son would love this !!
#44 - Margaret Smith @ 12:11 pm
What a great giveaway. My sons would love a puzzle book like this. Please enter me and thanks for the giveaway.
#45 - Jay Sluyter @ 12:21 pm
I’d love to win this for my daughter.
JayMSluyter@aol.com
#46 - Helen Keeler @ 12:38 pm
Cute prize. Please enter me.
#47 - Jennifer Barr @ 1:03 pm
would love to win
#48 - Michelle @ 2:04 pm
This sounds like a great activity for when my kids need to sit and wait quietly somewhere. I would love to be entered.
#49 - Steve Scott @ 2:26 pm
I love education games and puzzles. Thanks for the chance.
#50 - Cindi Hoppes @ 2:35 pm
Hi, I would love to win this kind of puzzle! How fun
this is! Please enter me in your drawing. Thanks,Cindi
#51 - Adrienne Gordon @ 3:34 pm
my son would love this
#52 - Mama Zen @ 4:07 pm
That’s really neat!
#53 - Rodney @ 4:44 pm
Thanks for the contest
#54 - Richelle F @ 5:21 pm
That looks fun!
#55 - Jennifer C. @ 5:27 pm
Sounds liek something my daughter would really like - especially this summer!
#56 - Lesha @ 5:37 pm
Very nice!
#57 - Valerie Mitchell @ 6:01 pm
fabulous!
#58 - Anne @ 6:09 pm
This would be great to do with my grandaughter, I’m wondering if my mom, who is in the early stages of alzheimers might enjoy it as well. Thanks
#59 - Meredith Peters @ 7:27 pm
Very sweet!
#60 - Cydney Brown @ 7:27 pm
Nice little books!
#61 - Kathy Scott @ 7:40 pm
I love educational games. Thanks for the chance.
#62 - Linda Moeller @ 8:02 pm
That’d keep ‘em occupied for awhile!
#63 - Jessica T @ 8:20 pm
Looks cool!
#64 - lynn @ 8:59 pm
this looks really cool
#65 - Marissa @ 9:08 pm
We’re always up for a challenge. Coming from a family of engineers and mathematicians… this looks like a great way to have some fun and learn some problem solving skill sets too.
Thanks a bunch!
Marissa
#66 - rachel @ 9:33 pm
this looks like a lot of fun for my kids!
#67 - Nora Scott-Platt @ 9:52 pm
Nice giveaway.
#68 - Kathleen Debernardi @ 10:20 pm
my grandsons would love these
#69 - Donna @ 10:56 pm
My 8 & 9 year olds would really enjoy this!
#70 - Caroline Morin @ 11:11 pm
Please count me in.
#71 - Michelle Rosborough @ 11:12 pm
Interesting puzzle book
#72 - Kathy D @ 11:13 pm
FUN BOOKS… I LOVE ANY KIDS BOOK
#73 - Shaun Wallner @ 11:20 pm
My daughter would love this!
#74 - jen @ 11:25 pm
This would be great for my kids! And for me!
#75 - Idahospud @ 11:25 pm
You come up with the coolest giveaways! I’d love this!
#76 - Heather @ 11:33 pm
Sounds interesting. I’m sure my daughter would love to have me work on these with her.
#77 - Nissa Evans @ 11:44 pm
I have a 7 year old and a 13 year old and both are boys. Maybe this will give them something to do on those days when it is rainy/cold/hot.
#78 - Debbie @ 12:07 am
Interesting
#79 - jane yates @ 12:12 am
enter me
#80 - Kevin Welicki @ 1:31 am
Looks like an awesome book !!
#81 - Teresa Hoyt @ 1:42 am
My kids would LOVE this!
#82 - Caryn Bailey @ 2:16 am
Very cool!
#83 - janet lindsey @ 3:16 am
you can count me in.
#84 - Kari Follett @ 6:40 am
please add me too, my kids would enjoy this
#85 - rachel burke @ 7:03 am
count me in
#86 - Donna Coughlin @ 7:46 am
We love stuff like that
#87 - Valerie Furr @ 8:00 am
Great prize for a child, as mine would love it too.
#88 - cynthia C @ 8:01 am
Thanks for the chance to win.
#89 - Susan @ 8:45 am
sounds fun!
#90 - Vicky Boackle @ 9:38 am
we are puzzle nuts.
#91 - Linda Lansford @ 10:18 am
lol to all
#92 - Rebecca Snodgrass @ 10:47 am
i wanna win
#93 - Linda Grieser @ 11:05 am
Nice books, enter me please
#94 - Rhonda CLEMENS @ 11:20 am
WOW–WHAT A GREAT CONTEST–PLEASE ENTER ME!!!
#95 - Shannon B. @ 11:27 am
I love puzzles! I’d definitely like to win!
#96 - Jennifer Furtado @ 11:42 am
fun fun fun!
#97 - Monique Rizzo @ 12:05 pm
My kids would LOVE this!
#98 - Wendy @ 12:36 pm
How cool! Please enter me!!
#99 - beth shepherd @ 12:45 pm
These would be great for my kids. Thank you
#100 - tim brown @ 1:41 pm
love to win
THANK YOU GOD BLESS
#101 - Linda Ellis @ 2:50 pm
please add my entry
#102 - Tiff@ Three Peas in a Pod @ 2:52 pm
sounds like fun!
#103 - Frank B. @ 3:36 pm
We love puzzles!
#104 - Dale C Rodberg @ 4:07 pm
I am sure atleast 3 of my Grandchildren would love this.
#105 - stacy berg @ 5:11 pm
good learning tool!
#106 - Carissa Davis @ 5:21 pm
This looks like fun.
#107 - jesy @ 5:48 pm
Cute
#108 - Leslie @ 7:13 pm
Terrific
#109 - sherry pincus @ 7:25 pm
my grandkids would love this!
#110 - Suzie @ 7:49 pm
I have a picross game on the Nintendo DS and it’s so much fun. I have a friend who’s daughter would love this, mine arn’t old enough to do it yet.
#111 - Sarah Stern @ 9:22 pm
I LOVE logic puzzles, and I would love to pass this on to my son!
#112 - Robert @ 11:28 pm
luv puzzles!
#113 - Brandy @ 1:40 am
We love puzzles here! Thanks for the chance to win!
#114 - AMANDA PERRON @ 2:39 am
COOL!!! Please enter my name, THANKS!!
#115 - Liz @ 9:27 am
Logic puzzles are such fun. Count me in!
#116 - Lori Walker @ 10:36 am
This would be nice for my nephew
#117 - Sarah @ 10:57 am
enter me!
#118 - Carolyn @ 12:03 pm
Great for the mind…love puzzle books.
Thanks.
#119 - Robyn @ 12:42 pm
Thanks for the opportunity!
#120 - Jennifer @ 12:51 pm
Please enter me and thank you!
#121 - Judy @ 2:42 pm
lots of fun for dd.
#122 - Kristie Noguera @ 3:34 pm
I loved logic puzzles when I was a kid. Never thought about starting kids as young as 5 on them. Great idea!
#123 - jeanette malan @ 3:50 pm
great for my family
#124 - Deb - Mom of 3 Girls @ 3:53 pm
Abby is totally into puzzles like this - she would love it!
#125 - Hetal Gandhi @ 4:25 pm
I will go crazy with this along with my kids.
#126 - Lori @ 4:46 pm
Ooh my granddaughter would love this!
#127 - william causey @ 4:52 pm
please count me in
#128 - Vicki Wurgler @ 5:51 pm
we have an 8 year old that would like to try this
#129 - Steve Scott @ 6:35 pm
My kids love puzzles especially on car rides.
#130 - Sylvia @ 6:40 pm
This would be a challenge for my grandchildren.
#131 - Beth @ 8:32 pm
I’d love to be entered to win this for my niece! Thanks!!
#132 - Naghma @ 11:32 pm
thank you!
#133 - Christine E. @ 12:32 am
Very Cool!
#134 - Tammy Marshall @ 1:34 am
Looks like a fun time for my kids. Hope I win.
#135 - James Jenkins @ 8:21 am
Wow!!
#136 - Sarah Hirsch @ 9:57 am
my kids love puzzles and activity books
#137 - CAndie @ 11:36 am
My kids would love this. They are always wanting to do puzzles (crossword, word find, etc). What a perfect idea.
#138 - Cassandra @ 11:51 am
Looks like fun!
#139 - Carol Drury @ 1:36 pm
what a great prize!!!!! grandson would love these
#140 - Kam A @ 4:35 pm
My son would love this!
#141 - Angie @ 4:40 pm
ooh I’d like to win! My daughter has ADHD and has a hard time in Math and this would help her!
#142 - Karen Matlock @ 4:43 pm
please enter me!
#143 - Aniela R. @ 5:55 pm
We’re always looking for fun and challenging things for my son to do.
#144 - Amy @ 8:31 pm
My little boy really loves puzzles and word searches, so this is right up his alley!
#145 - Holly G. @ 9:25 pm
My son would really enjoy this book!
#146 - Monte @ 3:38 am
Cool thanks
#147 - troy @ 3:55 am
sounds FUN !
#148 - Kristin @ 11:35 am
awesome
#149 - Julie @ 12:31 pm
This looks like fun!
#150 - Anthony Hedden @ 1:15 pm
enter me
#151 - Heather @ 3:45 pm
My son would love these! please enter me.
#152 - Dana @ 11:44 pm
my kids would love this! they always see me doing the big ones in Games Magazine and wish they had some of their own to do!
#153 - Lara Aleff @ 12:50 am
This looks like so much fun!
#154 - Lathres B @ 12:54 am
kids would love them.
#155 - Kathy Conley @ 1:51 pm
Puzzles are a great thing to do together
#156 - trudee carreiro @ 2:19 pm
my son would love this
#157 - Tamara @ 2:21 pm
My daughter loves to do puzzles, thanks for the chance.
#158 - Pamela White @ 5:09 pm
I love teaching logic and puzzles to my kids
#159 - Mary Mizell @ 6:38 pm
Would like to win
#160 - Jackie @ 7:00 pm
Please enter me, it looks great!
#161 - lorides @ 7:31 pm
both my kids would love it
#162 - philip halter @ 7:36 pm
enter me please
#163 - Elizabeth @ 8:09 pm
I’ve been buying logic puzzle books for myself all my life. I didn’t know they made them for younger people. This is awesome!
#164 - kiyana @ 8:12 pm
Looks like alot of fun!
#165 - jan koontz @ 8:49 pm
just to cool
#166 - Jodene Gildea @ 11:11 pm
Looks like fun!
#167 - Susanne Troop @ 11:43 pm
Nice prizes!
#168 - Kelly T. @ 12:12 am
These would be great for the boys, they love puzzles and math games.
Thank you and Good Luck everyone,
kelly
#169 - Teri Anderson @ 12:24 am
forget the kids, I will be using these! hehehe
#170 - Kim D. @ 2:18 am
this would certainly keep my son busy! Great product!
#171 - Julie @ 2:58 am
My son loves doing things like this - it will be fun to do together. Thanks for the opportunity!
#172 - Carolyn Hagerman @ 4:22 am
I would love to win this for my grandkids. It’s great!!!
#173 - Donald Martin @ 7:39 am
Great gift for my grandkids!
#174 - sue @ 9:36 am
would love for summer to try these!! puzzles are very good learning exxcercises without them knowing they are learning!!!
#175 - Abby Sherwood @ 10:32 am
this would be perfect for my niece!
#176 - kathy pease @ 11:18 am
PLEASE ENTER ME
#177 - Rebecca Lunsford @ 11:28 am
This is great! Please enter me.
#178 - Ron Miller @ 11:34 am
would be great!
#179 - Helen Keeler @ 12:34 pm
Cute. Please enter me.
#180 - Nina @ 12:53 pm
My grand daughter would love this… thanks!
#181 - Jennifer Kenney @ 3:12 pm
What a great prize. Thanks!
#182 - Brian J @ 3:25 pm
#183 - Ann Guns @ 3:40 pm
My kids would love this!
#184 - Paula Hafner @ 4:02 pm
My kids love puzzle books.
#185 - gina snow @ 4:33 pm
i want to win!!!!
#186 - Mickey Anderson @ 5:35 pm
This would be great. My kids would love this. thanks.
#187 - Niki M @ 5:36 pm
Sounds great
#188 - Debbie Criss @ 6:22 pm
With my grandkids ,nieces,nephews they would love these. thank you
#189 - Jan Myers @ 8:21 pm
This looks great for my little one!
#190 - veronica sandberg @ 10:36 pm
great prize want to win
#191 - Erica G @ 10:44 pm
This would be great for my step daughters.
#192 - Nina @ 10:47 pm
My grand daughter would love this…thanks!
#193 - Audrey @ 11:01 pm
Looks like a lot of fun!
#194 - Jackie H @ 11:15 pm
What a great find! Love reading about all these things you discover for kids.
#195 - Catrina Pomerleau @ 12:26 am
Please enter me in the drawing.
#196 - Andrea R @ 12:33 am
My kids would love this!
#197 - Michelle @ 12:37 am
my family will love this.
#198 - Hesper Fry @ 1:08 am
What a great prize to win!
#199 - Michelle H. @ 1:17 am
We love puzzlrs. Thanks for the contest!
#200 - Veronica Garrett @ 3:01 am
My daughter and I would enjoy solving these puzzles.
#201 - Janet @ 3:21 am
looks like fun!!
#202 - Cynthia Smith @ 3:52 am
This would be great for my neice and I to play together!
#203 - Christina Gould @ 3:11 am
Neat!
#204 - Tamara Leonard Merritt @ 3:36 am
Thanks for the contest!
Please enter me.
#205 - Angela & Connor @ 3:42 am
We’d love to have a copy!
I blogged you too
http://www.prizeatron.com
#206 - Pamela Hansen @ 6:25 am
please enter me thank you
#207 - Jennifer Barr @ 9:28 am
cool
#208 - Amy Moore @ 11:32 am
I wanna win!! My son would love this!
#209 - Bobbye F @ 12:22 pm
This is super sweet! Enter me please!
#210 - Mary B @ 12:47 pm
Enter me please. My granddaughter will love this.
#211 - Tricia Andrews @ 1:16 pm
I think my daughter would be challenged by these! Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
#212 - Louis Huf @ 1:29 pm
enter me please, thank you for the contest
#213 - tim @ 2:03 pm
great for grand kids
#214 - Sandra Marra @ 2:46 pm
I’ve always loved logic puzzles. Cool way to introduce them to younger kids!
#215 - Ed Nemmers @ 3:47 pm
We love puzzles!
#216 - shawna f @ 6:12 pm
We would love these!
#217 - Are You a Winner? @ 7:45 pm
[…] 4 of you won the Picross for Kids puzzle […]
#218 - sarah woods @ 8:27 pm
Lets hear it for more great prizes; Best of luc to all who enter. Thanks!!!!!!
#219 - mike kittle @ 9:30 pm
Awesome, the nieces would love these.
#220 - Rosanne Morrison @ 10:37 pm
My kids love word and number puzzles that challenge the mind
#221 - Lily Kwan @ 11:10 pm
Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
#222 - Donna Kozar @ 11:22 pm
Neat for the kids.
#223 - hollie newton @ 9:13 am
sounds perfect for my family,