Pic-a-Pix Play Online Instructions

PIC-A-PIX PLAY ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS

Solving the Puzzle

To solve the puzzle, some grid squares must be filled in with color while others are blanked-out by displaying a dot. The player can also mark squares using the Mark Square button on the toolbar. This feature can help analyze a row or a column without affecting the game. Marked squares may be cleared at any point in time using the Clear Squares button on the toolbar.

When all squares in a row or a column are completed, a gray triangle will appear next to it and a sound will be activated. When the last square of the puzzle is filled in (or blanked out), all triangles will turn green and a solution thumbnail will pop up indicating that the puzzle has been solved correctly. Otherwise, the triangles next to the wrong rows and/or columns will be displayed in red.

Filling and Blanking Squares

When this button shows on the toolbar, the game is in the Play mode. Click the mouse to fill in a square with the selected color. Click the mouse again to blank-out the square (by displaying a dot). Large areas may be filled or blanked using click and drag.

Selecting Colors

Colors are selected using the color palette. To pick a color, click on the appropriate button in the color palette. Colors may also be changed using the space key on the keyboard.

Checking-off Clues

When a clue is no longer required in the game it may be checked-off by the player. Checking-off clues simplifies the solution process and helps reduce mistakes. Click on a clue to check it off. Click again to return to the original state.

Marking and Unmarking Squares

When this button shows on the toolbar, the game is in the Mark Square mode. In this mode you can temporarily mark squares without affecting the puzzle. First click on the grid marks a square and the second click unmarks the square. Large areas may be marked or unmarked using click and drag.

Clearing All Squares

Click on this toolbar button to clear markings from all squares.

Game Viewing Modes

PAP online offers two viewing modes, Full View and Compact View, providing convenient solution environments for all puzzle sizes. When a puzzle is started for the first time, it will attempt to open in the Full View mode.

When this button shows on the toolbar, the game is in the Full View mode. Click this button if you want

to play in the Compact View mode.

When this button shows on the toolbar, the game is in the Compact View mode. Click this button if you

want to play in the Full View mode.

Full View Mode

When this button shows on the toolbar, the game is in the Full View mode and all puzzle clues are

visible during the entire game. The Full View mode is convenient for solving small and medium size puzzles. If a puzzle is very large causing puzzle-clues to be too small to read, switching to Compact View is recommended.

When in Full View mode, the horizontal and vertical rulers move according to the location of the mouse. To fill a square, point the mouse and click once. To blank out a square, point the mouse and click again. For larger areas, do the same while dragging the mouse.

Color Palette

Puzzle Clues (rows)

Completed Line Indicator

Horizontal Ruler

Puzzle Clues (columns)

Vertical Ruler

Filled Squares

Blanked
Squares

Marked
Squares

Block Length
Counters

Compact View Mode

When this button shows on the toolbar, the game is in the Compact View mode, and only the clues of

one row and one column are visible at any point in time. The Compact View mode is convenient for solving very large puzzles since the clues are large regardless of the size of the grid. When in Compact View mode, filling and blanking squares can only be done inside the rulers. To fill a square, point the mouse and click once. To blank out a square, point the mouse and click again. For larger areas, do the same while dragging the mouse.

To move a ruler, click and drag one of its tips or click on the new location where you want the ruler tip to be. Rulers may also be moved using the arrow keys on the keyboard.