A message only they can uncover
Type a few words, a name or a date, or pick a photo with a clear shape. It becomes a grid of filled and empty squares, and the numbers around the edge are all your friend gets. Square by square, the letters or the picture appear.
People use it for birthday wishes, proposals, baby and gender reveals, “guess where we are going” trips and inside jokes. You can also add a short note that shows up the moment the puzzle is solved.
Messages or photos?
Messages are always easy to read, even in a small grid: keep it to four lines of up to five letters. Photos work best with simple, bold shapes like a pet's outline, a logo or a building. Faces and busy scenes lose too much detail at 15 or 20 squares across.
Always one answer, never a guess
Most messages and photos do not turn into fair puzzles on their own: the numbers often allow two pictures, or the solver gets stuck and has to guess. Before you can share, the same solver that checks every daily puzzle works through yours line by line. If it gets stuck, it changes the fewest squares it can until the puzzle has exactly one answer reachable by logic. For messages it only adds a dot or two to the background and never touches the letters; for photos it starts with the squares that could go either way. The note under the preview tells you how many squares were changed.
Tips for photos
- Simple shapes against a plain background work best. Zoom in so the subject fills the square.
- Start with 15 by 15. Use 10 by 10 for a quick puzzle or a busy photo, 20 by 20 for detail and a longer solve.
- If the picture looks like a blob, move the contrast slider, or try “Swap dark and light” for dark subjects on a light background.
Questions
Is anything uploaded?
No. Your message and photo are turned into a puzzle inside your browser. The link you share contains only the row and column numbers and your optional note, not the photo and not the answer itself.
How do I send it?
Use “Copy link” and paste it into any chat or email, or “Share” on a phone. The link works on any device without an app or sign-up.
Can I solve my own puzzle first?
Yes. “Try it yourself” opens the puzzle exactly as your friend will see it.