Patches Puzzle Strategies

Each numbered cell is a clue — it must sit inside exactly one rectangle, and that rectangle's total cell count must match the number.

A clue with number 1 is always a 1×1 square — place it immediately.

1. 1

   Area 1 clues

   Instant 1×1 tiles — place immediately.

2. 2

   Shape hints

   Few legal dimensions — e.g. square 4 → 2×2.

3. 3

   Large areas

   6- or 8-cell patches anchor corners and edges.

4. 4

   Ambiguous clues

   Multiple shapes fit — save for last.

Every rectangle you place removes cells from the grid. Strict clues shrink the remaining space and make ambiguous clues easier.

Shape hints eliminate rows from this table. Area 4 with a square hint → only 2×2.

A 6-cell or 8-cell clue often dominates a corner or edge. Before drawing a large rectangle, check:

• Does it block another clue from fitting any legal shape?
• Does it leave odd-sized gaps that cannot be tiled?

If a large placement creates an isolated 1- or 2-cell gap with no clue, undo and try a different dimension.

• Two rectangles overlap — the board rejects the overlap.
• Unclued cells remain — every cell belongs to exactly one rectangle.
• A clue sits outside its rectangle — the clue cell must be inside the shape you draw.

Corners and edges limit rectangle orientation — a clue in the corner cannot extend outside the grid, and edge clues cannot grow past the boundary.

• Draw a rectangle, see what gaps remain, undo if the layout fails.
• Get hint suggests a rectangle with an explanation.
• Full solution reveals placements one at a time.