If you're a logic puzzle fan (both paper-and-pencil and electronic, alike), you've probably heard of a little game called picross. It's a crossword puzzle meets number logic with an artsy twist. Fugazo brings their puzzles to you in the next installment of their popular puzzle series, World Mosaics V, where you find a familiar experience with a new storyline and, of course, hundreds of new puzzles!

You've recently been accepted to Grand Pelasgian University with the dreams of becoming a Chronology apprentice. Under the tutelage of your professor, Dr. Hartwell, you're putting all your efforts in your World Holidays class. Each of the twelve weeks of class covers a different holiday, each holiday encompassing twelve lessons. To help you remember your lessons, you'll be completing 'mosaic puzzles' based on the subject. Don't you wish you'd gone to this school?

Using just your mouse, [left] click on a block to fill it in and [right] click on one to place a spacer in the form of a thumb tack. The puzzles are comprised of a grid with numbers for each row and column. The numbers indicate how many adjacent blocks are filled in for that particular row or column. Multiple numbers mean multiple sets of blocks, each set separated by at least one empty block. With this information, you can figure out which blocks are filled in. For example, in a row that's ten blocks long, a sequence of (3 3 2) has only one possible configuration because of the space you must have between each set. Once the grid is filled in, a picture will be revealed.

Analysis: What World Mosaics offers in its selection of puzzles is a casual, relaxing picross solving time with a light story. The interesting tidbits of information that go along with the theme of the puzzles provide a neat distraction to your puzzling mind. The difficulty curve is nice and smooth, catering to beginners and the experienced alike. For those completely new to the picross world, there are tips from the main menu as well as pop ups over the first few levels to give you a hand.

What may be lacking from World Mosaics V is an offering of variety in its puzzles. Not all picrosses have to be square and monochromatic, nor are bigger grids necessarily more difficult than smaller ones. Nonetheless, this is still a solid game. It's the type of game you sit down to for a few hours with a warm cup of tea to relax. With over 140 puzzles in the regular game and 100 more in bonus puzzles, it's sure to keep you occupied over many gallons of tea.

Windows:
Download the demo
Get the full version

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.