1. Find the strict clues first
Clues in corners and clues with square, tall, or wide restrictions usually narrow down the board fastest.
Rules and strategy
How to play Patches.
Split the whole board into rectangles. Each rectangle must cover exactly one clue and match both the clue number and the clue shape.
2. Watch for shared space
If two clues compete for the same cells, one of them has to bend around the other. That pressure is where the puzzle opens up.
3. Fill the whole grid
You only win when every cell belongs to a valid rectangle. If empty cells remain, one of your earlier assumptions needs another look.
Legend
Patch shapes
Square
Equal width and height.
Tall rectangle
Higher than it is wide.
Wide rectangle
Wider than it is tall.
Any rectangle
Any shape that matches the clue number.