Best SudokuSudoku techniques
Every Sudoku puzzle can be solved by logic alone. These guides teach the techniques in the order you’ll need them, from the two basic singles to the patterns that crack the hardest puzzles. Every diagram is a real position from a Best Sudoku puzzle, and every elimination is checked against the puzzle’s solution.
- Naked singleA cell where only one number fits. · Easy
- Hidden singleA number with only one place left in a row, column or box. · Easy
- Pointing pairs and triplesCandidates in a box that line up, pointing along a row or column. · Medium
- Box/line reductionA number confined to one box within a row or column. · Medium
- Naked pairsTwo cells in a unit that share the same two candidates. · Medium
- Hidden pairsTwo numbers that can only go in the same two cells of a unit. · Hard
- X-WingA rectangle of candidates that clears a number from two lines. · Expert
- XY-WingThree two-candidate cells that force a number out of a fourth. · Expert
Which level needs which technique
| Level | What you’ll use |
|---|---|
| Easy | Naked and hidden singles only, with plenty of clues. |
| Medium | Still singles, but with fewer clues, so you scan more. Pointing pairs occasionally help. |
| Hard | Needs pointing pairs, box/line reduction or naked pairs, and sometimes hidden pairs. |
| Expert | Needs X-Wing or XY-Wing, and hidden pairs and triples along the way. |