Shikaku (“divide by squares”) is a tidy, visual puzzle. Every number on the board is the area of the rectangle that contains it. Draw the rectangles so they cover the board without overlapping, and the picture snaps together.
The rules
- Divide the whole grid into rectangles (squares count).
- Each rectangle contains exactly one number.
- That number is the rectangle’s area — how many cells it covers.
Drag from one corner of a rectangle to the opposite corner to draw it. Tap a rectangle to remove it. Valid rectangles are tinted; rectangles that break a rule turn red.
Technique 1: Think in factors
A clue tells you the area, so the possible shapes are its factor pairs. A 6 can be 1×6, 2×3, 3×2 or 6×1. A 5 or a 7 is prime, so it can only be a straight line.
Prime clues near the edge of the board often have only one possible position.
Technique 2: Start in tight spots
Corners, edges and crowded areas give clues fewer options. A small clue in a corner, boxed in by neighbouring numbers, frequently has exactly one shape that fits without swallowing another number.
Technique 3: Who can reach this cell?
Turn the question around. Pick an empty cell and ask which clues could possibly cover it. If only one clue can reach it, that clue’s rectangle must include the cell — which can rule out most of its other shapes.
Technique 4: Big numbers claim space
Large clues have the most shapes on paper but often the fewest in practice, because they bump into other numbers. Check each candidate rectangle for a second number inside it; any shape that contains another clue is out.
Technique 5: Test a shape
When two shapes remain for a clue, try one. If it leaves some other number with no room to fit its area, the other shape is correct. PuzzPik puzzles never need deeper trial than this.
Tips
- Clues of 1 are single cells — tap them to fill instantly.
- Draw confident rectangles first; they shrink everyone else’s options.
- Red means a rectangle has no number, two numbers, or the wrong size.
FAQ
Can a rectangle be a square?+
Yes. Squares are rectangles too, so a 4 can be a 2×2 block.
Must every cell be covered?+
Yes. The rectangles together cover the entire grid with no gaps and no overlaps.
Is there only one solution?+
Yes. Every PuzzPik Shikaku has exactly one way to divide the board.