Web Paint-by-Number Forum
Topic #3: How Did You Find This Site?
By Jan Wolter (jan)

#1: Jan Wolter (jan) on Oct 28, 2004

I haven't exactly advertized this site much. I'm wondering how people found it. I'm guessing google and word of mouth account for just about everyone.
#2: Sheri Swartz (sheris) on Jan 11, 2005
Google for me. Definitely the best site I have found. The pictures and numbers are so easy and I like that the grids are multiples of five usually. I have spent way too much time on here but a great way to clear my head. And I dream the puzzles if I do them too much. Can't wait for some new ones- although now I can get back to doing other things...
#3: Jan Wolter (jan) on Jan 12, 2005
Cool. Thanks for the comments.
#4: lisa hamm (lisylocket) on Jan 17, 2006
I just found this site 2 weeks ago and I'm addicted! I don't think I've spoken to my boyfriend since then. What was his name? Anyway, thanks for taking the time to make all of these puzzles. Keeps me entertained when he's playing on his consoles :D
X
#5: Jan Wolter (jan) on Jan 17, 2006
You're welcome.
#6: Ailsa Hebert (bazette3) on Nov 4, 2007
found via google. luv it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Same as Sherri - spend wwwaaayyy tooooo much time on it but really luv it!!
Have been playing a few months now. The way it is set up it great. Keep up the good entertainment!
#7: Ella Rose (ella_rose189) on Jun 4, 2006
I read about it in a forum on www.conceptispuzzles.com. It's got one of the better programs for solving on the computer that I've seen online.
#8: ray liedtke (housepwr) on Jul 15, 2006
I found this site a long time ago, i just never had time to come often, found it through yahoo searching for puzzles to print, but i love this whole concept of keeping track of which ones you've solved, i can't wait till i solve them all :-)
#9: Elizabeth Carlson (Liz.1) on Jul 26, 2006
Same as Ray I found your site through yahoo. These are my favorite puzzles and I cant find them too often in puzzle magazines. I've tried other pbn sites and your's is by far the best. I also like that I can make my own (even if they don't come out that great) pbn's. Thanks for all the fun!
#10: Timothy (relic10) on Sep 2, 2006
I first discovered this type of puzzle 10 years in GAMES Magazine while in the Army. I have often lamented that since then I have not been able to find them. Then on a whim all these years later I decided to do a web search and found your site. Now I'm hooked. I'm having almost as much fun making puzzles as I am solving them.
#11: Jan Wolter (jan) on Sep 3, 2006
Cool.

You know, that's a good point. One of the less obvious virtues of paint-by-number puzzles is that they are fun and easy to make, given a half-way decent set of tools.
#12: Jamie Jones (corycatelyn) on Sep 18, 2006
i found it through yahoo search...
#13: Kris (aphrodite0385) on Oct 3, 2006
I first discoverd the type of puzzle in logic books that you would get in the store, then I wanted to do more but couldn't find the right kind of books with enough to satisfy my crave, so I went looking online. I actually don't use Google, I found the site using Yahoo.
#14: Gitte Olesen (granny40) on Oct 17, 2006
WOW.. exactly same story as Kris. except for the last line... I used Goggle to find site.I'm addicted too. And clearly, your Site is the best. :-)
#15: Dee Webber (dulcimer) on Mar 21, 2007
Yahoo here! I've looked a few times over the last few years, & not found this site before. But you've come up! #9 on the first page of "paint-by-number puzzle" search!
#16: Jan Wolter (jan) on Mar 23, 2007
Cool. We've been very slowly creeping up the search engine ranks. I've made some effort to make the site work well with search engines, but haven't really been aggressive about trying to boost the ratings. That tends to backfire anyway. I expect as the site accumulates more puzzles and more users, it's rank will climb.
#17: william kamery (bill.1) on May 24, 2007
Started with the ones in GAMES, then the ones at http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn/, and had only one left to solve there when the whole site went away for some reason. So I Googled and here I am. Still getting use to the differences, but it'll happen.
#18: Jan Wolter (jan) on May 25, 2007
Wow. I never looked very much at that site, but it's been around for years. I'm surprised to see it suddenly vanish. I wonder what's up with that?
#19: Jan Wolter (jan) on May 25, 2007
Hmmm... the http://www.playtsunami.com site also seems to be off the air. Odd. At least http://www.griddlers.net is still there.
#20: Gitte Olesen (granny40) on May 31, 2007
When I try to enter the http://www.playtsunami.com site , it says: Our site is temporarily unavailable, but will be back online shortly.

So I guess it`ll be back eventually.
#21: mike bazynski (bazik) on Jun 4, 2007
i wanted to google where http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn/ went to, and here I am...

wasn't there a yahoo group with info about where http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn/ is going to some time ago? when it was switching servers every so often? can't find it
#22: My Johansson (villinte) on Jul 7, 2007
I am another ex-user of http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn/ it has gone down before, so I still check if it's back sometimes.
I've done griddlers (I prefer that name) for about 4 years now, I was first introduced to them in a crossword-paper that sadly enough didn't keep them for long. Griddlers don't seem to be popular in Sweden for some reason.
over the years I have googled for different sites to provide me with new puzzles, but somehow I haven't stumbled on webpbn.com until now.
#23: ikke (ikke) on Jul 17, 2007
I see I'm not the only one looking for a replacement for http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn/. Addicted for a long time and still hoping the site will be back.
I just googled and this is the next best thing.
#24: jmk41321 (jmk51321) on Jul 17, 2007
I too, found this site by trying to find Pbn.homelinux.
Has anyone been able to find any information?
Best to all :-)
#25: Ian Smith (dragonfreak) on Jul 17, 2007
i was shown by my mother, who started my account, but accidentally put her own name. Thank you Jan for changing it! I enjoy making puzzles maybe even more than solving them.
#26: maria luz gonzalez cao (lupita) on Jul 27, 2007
google searching
#27: m2 (mercymercy) on Jul 29, 2007
Just wanted to let My know that there is at least one more in sweden who loves these puzzles.
#28: Martial (marso) on Nov 3, 2007
Funny, I just did a google search for "paint-by-number puzzle" and the PDF files on webpbn came around the 4th place!
Clicking on "More results" lead to more PDFs and some forum extracts.
(Jan, you should add "solve puzzles online" to the PDF or something like that)
A search for "paint by number puzzle" placed you in page 2 (number 12).
Not bad!
#29: Jan Wolter (jan) on Aug 1, 2007
Hmm. At some point I did some configuring on Google to encourage it to point to the front page. I wonder what happened.
#30: J.C. Anderson (jc.noserdna) on Aug 22, 2007
I'm pretty much with marso, but I tried "paint by number" as I reacll, because I got a lot of ads for the old fashion paint brush and strip'o'paints and numbered canvas board.
#31: Barb Edwards (babarann) on Aug 24, 2007
I too was lost without http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn/ so I was SOOOO happy to find this site on google! I enjoy the addition of multi-colored puzzles than homelinux didn't offer. I'd probably spend a little more time with my family if I hadn't found webpbn, but they seem to be getting along just fine without me...
#32: Deana L (FFsWife) on Oct 26, 2007
Count me as another pbn.homelinux user. Started looking for another outlet when it up and disappeared and tried a couple of other places before I found this one. I like this one much better and think I will stop my search...
#33: Marie-Louise Ambrey (marz) on Sep 2, 2007
Yes Deana, stop searching, stay here with us, we will take good care of you, welcome! :)
#34: Deana L (FFsWife) on Oct 26, 2007
BTW... I didn't answer the question I guess. :D

Google. Google is what brought me here.

Thanks with the Welcome Marie-Louise!
#35: Gypso (Gypso) on Sep 2, 2007
Nice to have you here Deana! Welcome :D
#36: Arduinna (arduinna) on Sep 2, 2007
Google for me too! I used to do these puzzles on a web site a few years ago. I don't remember the name, but the puzzles were called "Japanese logic puzzles," and they were only black and white. Lately I'd been doing a lot of sudoku. (websudoku.com is great for that, btw.) But, when I got bored with that I decided to look for these puzzles again. I didn't know they were called paint by number! I think my search was just for "logic puzzles online," or something like that. This site was 3 or 4 pages in with that search, but what a find! I have to limit the number of hours I spend playing now that my vacation has ended!
#37: jmk41321 (jmk51321) on Sep 4, 2007
Has anyone been able to find anything on http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn/ ?

I really miss it!
#38: Jan Young (haidapup) on Sep 8, 2007
My sister and I have done Pbn.homelinux puzzles for years and were sick of running out of puzzles and waiting for the server to come back up. When I went searching for a replacement I was soooo thrilled to find this one. None of the other PBN sites I've found have come close. Thank You!
#39: Gypso (Gypso) on Sep 8, 2007
Hey another Jan! Welcome to webpbn! Jan Wolter (the creator of this site ) is male. May I ask if you are male or female so as to eliminate any confusion? I go by my login name, Gypso. What would you prefer to be called?
It's nice to have you (and I hope your sister as well) on this site. It's a lot of fun here! ^>^
#40: Jan Young (haidapup) on Sep 9, 2007
I am female Jan is short for Janice. I like to go by haidapup. Thanks again Jan - I'm really enjoying it!
#41: Gypso (Gypso) on Sep 9, 2007
Then haidapup it is! Welcome ^>^
#42: J.C. Anderson (jc.noserdna) on Sep 9, 2007
Not with out a story. What does haidapup mean? (if you don't have a story, Gypso will make one up, and man, she can be rough!)
#43: Jan Young (haidapup) on Sep 11, 2007
I used to use Haida which was my first puppies name but everyone kept asking if I was Haida indian so not to confuse the two I added pup and it's just stuck for over 15 years. I wouldn't mind hearing Gypso's version though!
#44: Gypso (Gypso) on Sep 11, 2007
Oddly enough Haidapup, my story would have run along the same lines. I'm pronouncing your name in my head like this: had a pup. Is this correct? ^>^
#45: m2 (mercymercy) on Sep 11, 2007
I was more thinking Hide a pup. :)
#46: Gypso (Gypso) on Sep 11, 2007
Ohhhhhh! Now THAT would make a good story. From whom? What had the pup done? Was anyone in peril?
#47: J.C. Anderson (jc.noserdna) on Sep 11, 2007
Haidapup,
ate like a hog
she grew up
now she's a dog
#48: m2 (mercymercy) on Sep 12, 2007
Wow such beautiful poetry. ;)
#49: Sylvain "WCPman" (qwerty) on Sep 12, 2007
I second that
#50: J.C. Anderson (jc.noserdna) on Sep 12, 2007
Wait til you hear the one about the kitten from Nantucket..
#51: Jan Young (haidapup) on Sep 12, 2007
It is Hide-a-pup and I just love the poetry....thank you!
What about that kitten?
#52: Andrew Carlson (Xestrix) on Sep 17, 2007
Wow, I just found this site, looking for printable nonograms. Google lead me here, and wow, this site is by far the most impressive and clean-styled site that I've found concerning nonograms. Needless to say, I'll be here a while ;)
#53: Gypso (Gypso) on Sep 17, 2007
Welcome Andrew! What name would you like to be called while on this site? Come visit the other discussion topics too!
Glad to have you here. ^>^
#54: Adria Wells (Nasuoni) on Sep 24, 2007
Gypso. She's my kinda-sorta-second-Mom. I'm dating her youngest son, and am over joyed to be considered a daughter ^_^
#55: J.C. Anderson (jc.noserdna) on Sep 25, 2007
Glad to have you aboard, Nasuoni, if that is what you prefer to be called. Well, welcome no matter what you prefer to be called. What should we call you?
#56: Adria Wells (Nasuoni) on Sep 25, 2007
Thanks J.C.
You can call me Adria, that works just fine. Nasuoni is just my online moniker, so it's easier to track me down on aim and such through that name.
#57: J.C. Anderson (jc.noserdna) on Sep 25, 2007
That's cool. Nasuoni sounds like the opposite of a tsunami, or something in japanese. but if you spell it backwards you get Inou-san, which sounds like a Japanese honorific.
#58: Adria Wells (Nasuoni) on Sep 25, 2007
It is a Japanese honorific. At least the san part is.
Nasuoni is actually two words shoved together.
Nasu, eggplant.
And Oni, demon/evil

A friend of mine came up with it, thought it was funny, so it was an inside joke that we called me that for awhile. It just stuck, and I've had it for over 4 years now.
#59: Arduinna (arduinna) on Sep 25, 2007
I generally find eggplants to quite evil. Tasty, but evil.
#60: Adria Wells (Nasuoni) on Sep 25, 2007
As do we all >;}
#61: J.C. Anderson (jc.noserdna) on Sep 25, 2007
I love that! I've often said to friends (just ask them, they call it "complaining") that the eggplant is evil. The one fruit/vegetable that completely vexes me in the kitchen. Not much you can do withit that poeple don't say "hmm, this tastes pretty good -- have you tried it without the eggplant?"
#62: Adria Wells (Nasuoni) on Sep 25, 2007
Awww.... no eggplant :'(
#63: Jan Wolter (jan) on Sep 25, 2007
Eggplants always look so beautiful when they are raw and whole. I've often suspected that the best thing to do would be to leave them out of dinner and display them as a centerpiece instead.
#64: Piglet (piglet) on Sep 26, 2007
I was completely lost without http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn/

So I googled, and found here. Yay!! Am so loving it. Thank you, thank you.

Like the new menus, by the way. Just saw them today, and was a bit startled at first. Nice work.
#65: Piglet (piglet) on Sep 26, 2007
I was completely lost without http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn/

So I googled, and found here. Yay!! Am so loving it. Thank you, thank you.

Like the new menus, by the way. Just saw them today, and was a bit startled at first. Nice work.
#66: Piglet (piglet) on Sep 26, 2007
Okay, that's embarrassing -- I really didn't mean to post it twice. Oops.
#67: Gypso (Gypso) on Sep 26, 2007
That's okay Piglet!

That's okay Piglet!
#68: J.C. Anderson (jc.noserdna) on Sep 26, 2007
Funny, Gyps. And you also know there is no abbreviating "piglet". Except may be 3.1417...
#69: Bionerd (nieboo) on Oct 13, 2007
Hehe, a pi joke...i love nerds.
#70: Deana L (FFsWife) on Oct 26, 2007
You're in the right place then! ;)
#71: Sylvain "WCPman" (qwerty) on Sep 27, 2007
why is that joke from JC don't surprise me at all???
#72: J.C. Anderson (jc.noserdna) on Sep 27, 2007
AS an english major we laugh that you math people can make the number go on forever, but that you can't finish a three letter word for dessert.;o
#73: Adria Wells (Nasuoni) on Sep 27, 2007
mmmmm pi.
#74: George Christian (advisorgee) on Sep 28, 2007
I too am a former http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn user. That URL now redirects to griddlers.net. I have never really liked that site, so I did a Google search and ended up here.

Thanks for the site.

#75: Merili (merilinnuke) on Sep 29, 2007
I had the exact same problem, but now am very happy I found this :)
Huge thanks for Jan!!!
#76: elin tjernström (idiotjewel) on Sep 30, 2007
I googled it :)
Of all the sites, I nly use this one and conceptispuzzles.com.. But since they only have 4/week its not enough. So Im really glad I´ve this.
Thanks alot Jan. Many hours of happiness for me! :)
#77: Tom Siebert (tsiebert) on Oct 3, 2007
I too am a former pbn.homelinux user who found this site through Google when I started going through "blue dots" withdrawal. I was doing those puzzles from easiest to hardest to get my score up quickly, but the site disappeared when I had only the six hardest to go, so I never finished. Bummer. I'm doing the same here but still can't keep up. I've dabbled with Griddlers.net. The puzzles are imaginative, but my last visit didn't seem user-friendly. This site feels just right. Thanks Jan.
#78: Robert Kummerfeldt (rmkummerfeldt) on Oct 17, 2007
George - griddlers.net used to be my main PBN site. Then they ruined things by trying to make it a paid site and limiting the options for non-paying members. That's when I did my google search (several years ago now) and found this one. Now this one has grown to the point where I can't keep up with the puzzles any more - hope it stays that way.
#79: Gypso (Gypso) on Oct 17, 2007
Hello Robert! I've seen your name all around this site. It's nice to know how you found Webpbn.
#80: Robert Kummerfeldt (rmkummerfeldt) on Oct 17, 2007
Thanks Gypso - I'm more of a puzzler than a chatter - only speak up when I feel like I have something to add. Consider me a stalker (in a good way I hope) - always there, never know when I'll make an appearance!
#81: Gypso (Gypso) on Oct 17, 2007
It's always been nice when you do make an appearance Robert.
#82: Sylvain "WCPman" (qwerty) on Oct 17, 2007
Robert I will put you in the big time user club as soon as I can find a way to incorporate your stalker way of life, lol with your way to long username. But one day I promise you gonna be in mister I look but I don't talk

see ya ( or you'll see me...)
#83: Gypso (Gypso) on Oct 17, 2007
You are one sweet guy Sylvain. You're easy to love. :)
#84: Robert Kummerfeldt (rmkummerfeldt) on Oct 18, 2007
You're starting to sound like my wife - she'd like to find a way to shorten that name too. Good luck.
#85: Brad Bradley (roc4u.1) on Dec 28, 2007
I too am a former http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn user, and after months of diddling around half-assedly looking for a replacement(optimist, thinking the cite would come back), finally found this place.

Though I dug their setup a bit more, the addition of colors definitely makes up for it :D
#86: Gypso (Gypso) on Dec 31, 2007
Welcome Brad! Nice to have you here.
#87: johanna smith (annemieke) on Jan 21, 2008
I was looking for other puzzles and stumbled ontothese-all my summer holidays have been sucked up by them. No sooner finish one than I just move right on to the next. I hope my family are getting on OK without me.
#88: Debra Greene (dlegreen) on Feb 1, 2008
Another homelinux addict who is now very happy that site disappeared into the ether and brought me here! Googling and a little trial and error showed me the way (I, too, am befuddled by the Griddlers.net site). Thank you so much for this site, Jan!
#89: Ceci (ctoons) on Mar 19, 2008
I'm another http://pbn.homelinux.com/pbn user. Seems that a lot of us migrated here...
#90: Gypso (Gypso) on Mar 19, 2008
Hi Ceci! :)
#91: Jan Wolter (jan) on Mar 31, 2008
Pity that that site went away. All the more so because so many fine puzzle contributed by so many people went with it. I think that is why sustainability is a major goal for me here.
#92: harris harris (torough4u) on Apr 3, 2008
i have logic art in the back of my dell varity mag's but they only give us 2 puzzle's to do each month.. i thought i would do a yahoo web search and clicked on a few site's, but none were as good as this one.. this one is a little out of date, but i LOVE how u have it-to where everyone can join in on making and solving. i dont just like solving alone. i have always thought in my mind there should be a site like this.. i goto anothing site, but i only get 4 a week. there have many more colors to work with and much more advanced. If i had to pick i - BY FAR - pick this site over them all..
#93: m2 (mercymercy) on Apr 4, 2008
What do you mean by "a little out of date"?
#94: Bionerd (nieboo) on Apr 4, 2008
yeah i was confused by that also
#95: Jan Wolter (jan) on Apr 4, 2008
Well, the graphic design of this site is certainly a bit old-fashioned. The way the forums work echo's the old Confer model from 1973 and isn't exactly what people are used to any more, but that's just because I'm a conferencing dinosaur. The puzzle solving/creating tools are based on AJAX technology. That's not exactly bleeding edge any more, but it's still pretty modern.
#96: Jen (lightvader) on Apr 4, 2008
I like the simple design of the site. There's nothing to clutter what you're working. I also like the way you have the forums set up. You don't have to search through all the topics just to find new comments. When there is a converstation that has new comments, you don't have to search for the last comment you read. Overall, I like this site a lot better then most of the other ones I've visted.
#97: Bionerd (nieboo) on Apr 4, 2008
yeah, long live the dinosaurs of coding.

#98: Meg Smith (mamadragonfreak) on May 6, 2008
Harris Harris, which Dell mag has "logic art" ?? I love solving on paper as much as here.

yes -- I'm dragonfreak's mom and i showed him the site after doing what most people here did ... google. this was the second site i visited and haven't looked back. I was searching because i enjoyed the puzzles in his Games magazine and was looking for more to do. you finish the ones in the magazine and then have to wait another month
Thank you Jan for webpbn. i do too many at work!
#99: asobi (asobi) on May 6, 2008
Hi, all the links do not seem to be operational all the time. Has anyone else noticed this?

-=puzzles=-
#100: jessica ellison (cancer91) on May 26, 2008
i found this site from my friends its fun for me and relaxing so thx for this
#101: David Martinelli (dalex64) on May 30, 2008
I learned about this site from talking to Jan at a park.
#102: Deana L (FFsWife) on May 30, 2008
Jan... has.... a.... life...!?!?!?

WAIT!!! How is that possible????

;)
#103: Bionerd (nieboo) on May 30, 2008
Jan was at a park?
that's just weird.

#104: Gypso (Gypso) on May 30, 2008
Jan talks to real people?
Am I dreaming?
#105: Bionerd (nieboo) on May 30, 2008
Wait, Jan is real??
#106: Merili (merilinnuke) on May 31, 2008
LOL :D
#107: David Martinelli (dalex64) on May 31, 2008
Don't worry, it followed the natural process. I met him online first.
#108: Deana L (ffswife) on May 31, 2008
*sighs with relief*

It's odd knowing that Jan has a life... but knowing that everything begins and ends online.... that makes it better. ;)
#109: Jan Wolter (jan) on May 31, 2008
It's true that I met Dave on-line, so long ago that I only dimly remembered him (well, for me that covers everything that happened more than a few hours ago, but this was much longer ago than that). The reason we were both in a park at the same time, however, had nothing to do with that meeting. It had to do with the astonishing fact that not one but both of us found women who actually seem to like hopeless geeks and then we went and had sons who found themselves in the same class at school and became best friends. So we see each other pretty regularly these days, sometimes in parks, more often in carpools.
#110: Gypso (Gypso) on May 31, 2008
Isn't life great?
#111: Kuuipo (monkeylover) on Jun 14, 2008
a close relative showed me this site
#112: Deana L (ffswife) on Jun 14, 2008
Hmmm... seem to be a lot of monkey friends in our midst lately. :)
#113: Kuuipo (monkeylover) on Jun 14, 2008
Ah..but I'm the "QUEEN" of monkey's..they cover my home from very tiny to over 5' tall (I have been collecting monkeys since I was a little girl)
#114: Nancy Snyder (naneki) on Jun 14, 2008
Oh no I'm the queen!!
#115: Arduinna (arduinna) on Jun 14, 2008
uh, oh! monkey fight!
#116: Nancy Snyder (naneki) on Jun 14, 2008
LOL
#117: Gypso (Gypso) on Jun 15, 2008
Lol Arduinna. I was thinking the same thing. :D

Hey Monkeylover! Welcome. :)
#118: Kuuipo (monkeylover) on Jun 20, 2008
Thank you
#119: Michele Baker (seashele) on Nov 9, 2008
I just found this site today and did my first puzzle. I found it through a forum on the Big Fish game site. I had posted that I like a game called Gemsweeper and someone wrote back and suggested I might like this site. Gemsweeper is basically the same type of puzzle as what's on this site. I really love these puzzles. Thank you!
#120: Byrdie (byrdie) on Nov 20, 2008
I have a friend who has been solving these for a year now. I think he was introduced to a related site by his girlfriend and then found this one on his own. Everytime I visit he's working on one of these and we have similar logic and puzzle solving interests. He egged me on to try the site and I finally aquiesced about 2 weeks ago. I'm not as addicted as he is - not doing them every night - but I find when I do log on I tend to suddenly find that I've done 5. Created my first puzzle tonight and will probably find that its tougher than I thought it would be, but if solved you'll find its a nice image! Good luck and thanks for the great site.
#121: Nancy Snyder (naneki) on Nov 20, 2008
glad to have you aboard :)
#122: Teresa K (fasstar) on Nov 22, 2008
I got hooked on these puzzles on another site, and when they ran out, I did a Google for more online puzzles, and found webpbn! I absolutely love this site.
#123: Robert Nessen (pnessen) on Dec 4, 2008
I initially got into "Paint by Numbers" through Games magazine (a must for all real game fans). Then I found the O'ekaki books, and searched on-line, and found this site.
#124: Amanda Egeskov Hald (MInimanta) on Feb 10, 2009
I love these puzzles so I googled for some free online puzzles and I tried out a LOT before I found this site, and it was ‘love’ at first sight. It’s a great site, there are a lot of puzzles and they are easygoing
#125: Stepho Guy (Stepho) on Apr 12, 2009
One time for fun my teacher handed us some Paint-By-Number puzzles to try and soon I was addicted. I Google-Searched "Paint By Numbers" and this was the first worth-while site I found. At first I just printed a few puzzles, but then I decided to join since then I could find puzzles to my specifications and make my own.
#126: Gator (Gator) on Apr 27, 2009
Google - by searching for "picross 'rotational symmetry'".
#127: Jan Wolter (jan) on Apr 27, 2009
Interesting. That brings you to the "Advanced Puzzle Solving Techniques" page, which is kind of an unusual way to enter the site.

But I see you posted some comments on advanced puzzle solving techniques on wiipicross.com's forums, so I guess it makes sense. Interesting to see different names and different categorizations to some similar techniques developing on different websites. Of course, since we have multi-color puzzles, and permit puzzles with multiple solutions, some of the techniques aren't exactly applicable to different sites.

#128: Gator (Gator) on Apr 27, 2009
Correct. The techniques evolved and changed over time.

Another difference between the sites is Symmetry. Since only unique solutions are allowed (except for Anomalies, but that is a different topic), then Symmetry is a viable technique there.
#129: Jan Wolter (jan) on Apr 28, 2009
Of course puzzles with multiple solutions are almost always flagged here, so one could claim that the lack of a "multiple solutions" flag and the lack of a question at the bottom of the screen asking if you think it has multiple solutions means that you "know" it has a unique solution.

However I'm inclined to believe that those things aren't part of the puzzle. So my rule is that if the puzzle author says in the title that the puzzle has a unique solution,then that info has been given to you as part of the puzzle and using symmetry is valid. Otherwise not.

Some sites avoid this by just banning all symmetric puzzles.
#130: Karry Auby (laxrunners) on Jun 22, 2009
Googled Paint by Number.
#131: Robyn Broyles (ginkgo100) on Jul 16, 2009
Google found it for me, too. I was looking for a PBN site I used to use (so long ago that I don't have the bookmark anymore). It seems to be defunct now, but I like this site even better!
#132: renata (rbeljan) on Aug 13, 2009
Google, Paint by Numbers and I am here.
#133: Adam Nielson (monkeyboy) on Aug 17, 2009
This site actually found ME.
#134: Joni Simmons (jonis) on Sep 9, 2009
I Yahoo-ed "paint by numbers logic puzzle" and there y'all were! I am addicted to this site too. Thanks for it!
#135: Cro-Magnon (Hermit) on Nov 12, 2009
Yahooo-oooo!
#136: Linda Martin (ilovethispuzzle123) on Feb 15, 2010
I Googled it. And I'm so happy I did!
#137: Claudia (clau_bolson) on Mar 27, 2010
Google. First touch with PBN in a crossword puzzle magazine (game was called "pintura numerica" - numeric painting?) When I finished all three puzzles I said "there must be something like this to solve online" First spent several months solving the puzzles in another site (can't remember the URL) before I dared to solve any puzzle in this site. It's over a year now, and I'm totally addicted.
#138: susan doe (sudoe) on May 14, 2010
google
#139: Walter Lutes (ulutes) on May 14, 2010
A friend left a games magazine in the bathroom and I loved the paint by numbers. I did a web search either google or bing and found the site.
#140: Alicia Snyder (prinny) on Jun 16, 2010
Found this site via google when I got bored with "conceptis".. I needed a larger variety and this is a GOD send!! lol.. Yes, my name is Alicia and I am an addict.
#141: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jun 26, 2010
yahoo ... paint by number.. your 3rd in the listing
#142: Xiao (Xiao) on Jul 6, 2010
Googled "paint by numbers," lamenting the loss of another pbn site I frequented for a few years. Still prefer their script, but this gets me my fix.
#143: Teresa K (fasstar) on Jul 6, 2010
We're glad you found this site, Xiao. Jan's script will grow on you, and before you know it, you will appreciate his design. And the community here is quite, um, interesting. :-)
#144: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jul 6, 2010
to say the least, Teresa ;)
#145: Teresa K (fasstar) on Jul 6, 2010
I think the descriptor "interesting" just about covers it all, don't you think, Tom? Weird, opinionated, brainy, dense, and funny. And that's just ONE person! Whom I shall not name. And now, everyone is asking, "Is she talking about ME?" JK :-D
#146: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jul 6, 2010
you forgot brilliancy, Teresa
#147: josh belvedere (jbelv4106) on Aug 9, 2010
Same as Xiao, I Googled "paint by numbers". My previous site went down a couple of years ago, but I didn't really attempt to find a new one until now.

Anyway, I'm enjoying it a lot. Thanks, Jan.
#148: Holly Anderson (holand) on Oct 16, 2010
I found this because someone 'thanked' someone else for all the amount of time they had 'wasted' on it since the other person had told them about it.

Of course, being a procrastinator, I can always use a new outlet.
#149: Skippy Miller (gmillvmill) on Nov 3, 2010
I found this googling "logic art puzzles." I love these! Thank you so much for the great puzzles!
#150: Kristen Vognild (kristen) on Jan 31, 2011
I did a couple of logic art puzzles in a magazine, and I wanted to find a place to print out more to complete while I was at work. You can't imagine my delight when I discovered that I could solve them on the computer!
#151: Hannah Johns (Nini721) on Jun 26, 2011
My dad sent us Johns people the site. Not sure where he found it...
#152: Lyndsay (Sauza3gs) on Jul 14, 2011
I found this site searching for Logic Art puzzles on Google. My sister-in-law had introduced me to a different site that I wasn't happy with, so I searched for others, and I don't need others because I am very happy here. I can be challenged when I want, or I can just relax with something simpler. Thank you so very much for this site.
#153: Edith Clark (eclark) on Jul 18, 2011
My son introduced me to paint by number puzzles at a black and white site only. I did a search out of curiosity and found this one. I like it much better. I love your forums and comment capability.
#154: Marena Sasena (sachama) on Oct 22, 2011
I was looking for javascript dynamical loaded script. About pbn I didn't know. After click on link from one site I found webpbn. AND I recognize -- it is fun.
ad) #155 - Yes it is this page. Btw. nice article about dynamical js.
#155: Jan Wolter (jan) on Oct 26, 2011
Sounds like you came here via this page: http://unixpapa.com/js/dyna.html
#156: Bobbie Hall (koalaobo) on Oct 26, 2011
Not sure how my husband found it, but I picked it up from him. Had never done pbn puzzles before, but became hooked. Used to stay up half the night, every night in order to monitor my preemie twin babies' breathing. DH took the early morning shift. This site was a great way to pass the time and stay awake. That was in 2006. Pbn fell by the wayside once the babies got bigger and better able to breathe. My boys are in kindergarten now. I can't believe how many puzzles have been generated since I left. There were about 450 when I first came and now are over 16,000!
#157: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Oct 27, 2011
I happy your children survived
#158: Teresa K (fasstar) on Oct 27, 2011
Welcome back, Bobbie. :-)
#159: Nancy (nbarsi) on Nov 10, 2011
My 4 year old granddaughter is artistically inclined and I was looking for a Christmas gift along those lines. Put paint by number in my Yahoo search and.....the rest is history.
#160: Keturah (Katie) on Nov 12, 2011
i found it on google
#161: Skippy Miller (gmillvmill) on Dec 5, 2011
I found it on google, searching for "logic art puzzles." I love it!
#162: Aaron Kessel (franksmapdi) on Jan 9, 2012
I used to be a member of Kajitani's PBN site and I've always enjoyed the ones in Games Magazine. I was longing for the old days, so I Google'd PBN and found this wonderful place!
#163: Tom King (sgusa) on Jan 10, 2012
It is pretty fun. It took me about a year before I started creating them. Do the author's a favor and comment on them!
#164: K A McNeill (Zoey) on Jan 16, 2012
Google ......and great site...first time here but I really enjoyed the puzzles I have tried so far.
#165: Teresa K (fasstar) on Jan 17, 2012
Welcome, Zoey. This is a funtastic community :-)
#166: Anneli Tikkar (anellive) on Jan 19, 2012
I got this addiction from my sister. I never understand why she was always sitting on this site.

....and now I cant do anything else.

I think 8 hours per day is just too much .. I even dream those puzzles (the times I remember to go to sleep :P)

Shortly: I love this site!
#167: Tom King (sgusa) on Jan 19, 2012
Welcome! They are too much fun. Try creating a couple. You will be beyond addicted.
#168: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Jan 19, 2012
ha ha ...my coolaid is working :D
#169: Tom King (sgusa) on Jan 19, 2012
No, I didn't suck the KoolAid, rather sampled the Crack...
#170: Ben Kimball (zubin) on Apr 4, 2012
Via a citation in a javascript book I'm reading (Secrets of the Javascript Ninja, which led to unixpapa.com). Or, rather, I *was* reading that book, until I found this site. Now I spend all my spare time here instead.
#171: Tom King (sgusa) on Apr 12, 2012
Welcome, Ben! You jumped right in to creating puzzles. Way cool. Took me a year and a half and I get petulant at times... Tom
#172: zelmarie miller (shantavah) on May 21, 2012
my grandmother gave me a book with paint by numbers so i came online to learn how to play the game wonderful sight who knew
#173: Teresa K (fasstar) on May 23, 2012
Welcome, Zelmarie. I remember when I discovered this site. It was like discovering a secret gem, just waiting to be found. Jan is a genius, and a generous one, for programming this site into a friendly (mostly) community for all of us to enjoy and express our creativity.
#174: Susan Boyer (belllady) on Jun 24, 2012
I mostly play at home, but occasionally play at work. Recently, I have not been able to login at work. In the past it has always just "known" me. (At home, it still "knows" who I am.) Has something changed on your in? Or in the security at work?

Thx,
#175: Tom King (sgusa) on Jun 24, 2012
Thanks for playing, Susan. You can probably log in at work if you waste an incredible amount of time designing puzzles for absolutely no reward :) Give it a shot. You will receive ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in return (except some frends). That IS worth it. Tom
#176: Vesta Vath (~Dessa46~) on Sep 14, 2012
Word of mouth for me. A friend on another site talked about it, and I had to check it out. I have been hooked ever since.
#177: Skippy Miller (gmillvmill) on Sep 15, 2012
Welcome to the family! Would you rather be called Vesta or Dessa46?
#178: Tom King (sgusa) on Sep 16, 2012
Welcome! Please comment on the puzzles that you solve, and try creating some. Tom
#179: K Shively (kes57) on Sep 19, 2012
Hello everyone! I had been playing a lot of Websudoku puzzles and that site has a link to "pic-a-pix" which I found very interesting. But in order to play more than a few simple puzzles there you need to pay for a subscription and I thought "surely there must be a free site!" Eventually Google led me here and I just love it. Thank you Jan and the community that has blossomed here! It is nice to know there are others who are just as addicted as I have become. =]
#180: Tom O'Connell (sensei69) on Sep 19, 2012
welcome aboard, Shively
#181: Catherine Peterson (Angel412) on Dec 23, 2012
Someone needs to fix the site.
#182: Norma Dee (norm0908) on Dec 23, 2012
The problem is that the creator, Jan Wolter never dreamed that the site would attract so many users. In fact, so many that it has vastly slowed down the system. However, he is extremely busy right now and is not sure when he will be able to fix it as it will take many hours. This site is free and there are no pop up ads. He has generously donated his time and energy and so we are all waiting patiently.
#183: Benjamin Avrahami (ben13) on Jan 3, 2013
jan for #17 topic 2 i know that if you google "online paint by numbers free" it shows up on the second page with the sidebar and everything
#184: Jennifer McMahon (kalamalama) on May 4, 2013
My puzzles won't open. Is it my computer's problem,or a site problem?
#185: Kristen Vognild (kristen) on May 4, 2013
I've had the same problem. I can open puzzles on my iPad (via Safari), but not on my desktop or laptop (both use Internet Explorer)
#186: Jennifer McMahon (kalamalama) on May 4, 2013
I don't have an iPad. I have Internet Explorer, too. What can we do about it?
#187: Jennifer McMahon (kalamalama) on May 4, 2013
I fixed it. I went to FAQ. There's a link to browser compatability. It says we should upgrade to IE 9 or better. I didn't know what mine was, so I googled Internet Explorer and found that I could upgrade to IE 10. I did that, and now it works.
#188: Mary Burnside (maryb) on May 5, 2013
I am already on IE9 and webpbn stopped working two or three days ago. Seeing comments online, I tried going on to IE10 and also Chrome and neither worked, however using Firefox has resolved the problem on my laptop.
#189: Kristen Vognild (kristen) on May 6, 2013
Installing Chrome worked for me.
#190: Jan Wolter (jan) on May 8, 2013
Sorry. I had complaints that webpbn wasn't working with IE 10. The particular hunk of code that was failing was a package I got from someone else that is designed to work around all the bugs in IE's handling of http requests, and make it work exactly like a real browser. It was a three-year old version of the package, so I figured that if I replaced it with a newer version then maybe it would fix the IE 10 problem. It did. But what I didn't discover right away is that it broke all previous versions of IE, so for the moment IE 10 works, but all previous versions of IE don't. I need to figure out what is going on here, but it's going to take a little while because debugging other people's code is a bother. I hope to have a fix for this sometime tomorrow.

Interestingly the cause of all the confusion looks like it might be that Microsoft finally fixed IE's bugs in this area. But that confused all the packages that work around IE bugs because they are not used to IE working correctly. Many IE 10 "bugs" seem to be of this nature. IE 10 is functioning more like a real browser than any previous version of IE, and the entire Internet is used to IE not working right.
#191: Phyllis Schimke (PhyS) on Feb 23, 2014
I really love this site, have done so ever since I found it. Trouble is I'm now addicted and have not been getting my fix because I'm unable to save. It appears a number of people, including myself, are unable to save puzzles or retrieve any saved puzzles. Is it a site problem or something I need to do my end? Would love to continue puzzling.....Did I mention I'm addicted? Withdrawal hurts.
#192: Norma Dee (norm0908) on Feb 23, 2014
Nothing at your end. Jan doesn't have a lot of time to spend on this site so we just kind of have to wait. Unfortunately you can't save a puzzle that you are working on. If you have finished it you can go back to the puzzle list and bring down the drop down puzzle, click on rate this puzzle and there is a box to click on that says to show this puzzle as solved. This will take it off the current list. In the meantime go to Find Puzzles and you can take your pick of some excellent smaller, easier to solve puzzles if you don't feel you have time for a larger, newer one. Glad to have you on board and so happy you are as addicted as the rest of us.:)
#193: Phyllis Schimke (PhyS) on Feb 23, 2014
Thanks for your reply. Had a feeling there was a lot of fellow addicts out there. Patience is a virtue.
#194: Raymond Fuller (rfuller4) on Mar 1, 2014
Web site isn't working with IE or Chrome. I need my fix!
#195: Norma Dee (norm0908) on Mar 1, 2014
The problem is not with you. It is with the site. Go to the Forum and click on #5 Bugs and at the end of the comments is a lot of discussion about the problem and how people are working around it until Jan has time to work on it.
#196: Allie Blake (Lil' Squish) on Nov 18, 2018
From a teacher website!
#197: Yonah Kondor (yokon965) on Nov 17, 2021
I was Googling "Paint by Numbers" because I didn't know it was a thing other than coloring books.
#198: Koldin Banks (Pizzaheadnascar22) on Jan 5, 2023
I found this because my class was using it.
#199: Brian Bellis (mootpoint) on Jan 6, 2023
Elaborate please. What class and how are you using it? Before I retired, I thought it might be cool to have my students work some puzzles but couldn't really fit it into the curriculum.
#200: Koldin Banks (Pizzaheadnascar22) on Jan 25, 2023
It was a project about doing logic puzzles and some of the puzzles were on this website.

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