Range / Kuromasu
Does the clue count itself in Kuromasu?
Yes. Count visible white cells along the four straight directions and count the numbered cell once. Stop each sightline at a black cell or the board edge. Bends and diagonal cells do not count.
Worked example
If a clue sees two white cells left and one right, with none above or below, its total is 4 including itself.
What to check on your board
Apply the rule above to your current board, then verify the remaining puzzle constraints. The example explains a local deduction; it is not a solution to every randomly generated board.
Checking your next move
Count the clue cell once, then extend four straight rays until each hits black or the border. Keep a separate subtotal for each direction to avoid counting the centre repeatedly. A white cell around a corner does not extend one of those rays.
Using this reference
For Range / Kuromasu, read the rule and the worked example together before opening the game. Separate what the rule explicitly requires from what only seems likely on the current board. A useful next move is one you can explain from the visible constraints, not merely a pattern that looks familiar.
If you get stuck, isolate a smaller part of the position and list what is still possible there. After a move, check the affected rows, regions or connections again. The reference explains the documented rules; progress, controls and save behavior belong to the linked game.
Read the developer’s manual ↗ · Open the developer’s browser version ↗
Manual inspected: · Simon Tatham & contributors · MIT