Skyscraper Puzzles

Welcome to Puzzle Baron's Skyscraper puzzles! Skyscrapers (also known as Towers, Wolkenkratzer, or Building Heights) is a classic Japanese-style logic puzzle where you fill an N×N grid with buildings of varying heights, using only the edge clues and pure deduction — no guessing required. Every row and every column contains each height from 1 to N exactly once, and the numbers around the perimeter tell you how many buildings are visible from that side. We offer thousands of unique puzzles in four grid sizes (5×5, 6×6, 7×7, and 9×9) and three difficulty levels. Play online just for fun, or register a free account to earn points and compete in our monthly Hall of Fame competitions!

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How to Play

Each puzzle presents an N×N grid surrounded by numbered clues on all four sides. Your goal is to place a building of height 1 to N in every cell, so that:

• — Every row contains each height from 1 to N exactly once (like a Latin square).
• — Every column contains each height from 1 to N exactly once.
• — Each edge clue tells you how many buildings are visible when looking down that row or column from the outside — taller buildings hide every shorter building behind them.

For example, looking down a row from the left, a clue of 1 means only one building is visible from that side — so the very first cell must be the tallest building (height N), towering over everything behind it. A clue of N means all buildings are visible, which only happens when the row ascends in perfect order: 1, 2, 3, … N.

Tips & Strategy

New to skyscrapers? Here are a few opening techniques that crack open most puzzles:

• — The "1" clue is your best friend. A clue of 1 anywhere on the perimeter forces the cell next to that clue to be the tallest building (height N). It's the fastest and most reliable opening move.
• — The "N" clue locks in the entire line. When the clue equals the grid size, every building must be visible — meaning the row ascends in strict order from that side: 1, 2, 3, … N.
• — Edge caps. A clue of k means the cell next to that clue can be at most height N−k+1. (A clue of 2 in a 5×5 means the first cell can be at most a 4 — otherwise, you'd see fewer than 2 buildings.)
• — Cross-reference rows and columns. Once you've placed a few buildings, the Latin-square rule (each height appears once per row and once per column) eliminates candidates fast. Pencil-mark the possibilities and watch for "naked singles" — cells where only one number remains.
• — Use the Hint button if you get stuck. It will check your board for mistakes first, then suggest a logical next move with a plain-English explanation of the technique used — great for learning advanced strategies.

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