Sudoku
Fill the grid so every row, column and box holds 1 to 9. Every puzzle has one answer.
About Sudoku
Sudoku is a puzzle of pure logic. You fill a nine by nine grid so that every row, every column and each of the nine boxes holds the numbers 1 to 9 exactly once. Every puzzle on Solitaire Craft has exactly one answer, and Easy and Medium can be solved step by step without guessing. If you get stuck, the Sudoku solver can show you the next step.
How to play Sudoku
- A number may appear only once in its row, once in its column and once in its box of nine squares.
- The dark numbers are given and cannot change. The blue numbers are yours.
- A wrong number turns red at once and counts as a mistake. Three mistakes end the game, unless you switch that rule off when you start.
- Use Notes to pencil small numbers into a square while you think, and Erase to clear a square.
- Fill every square correctly to win.
Tips for Sudoku
Start with the number that appears most often
The squares left for a common number are the easiest to find.
Ask where each missing number can go
Look at one row, column or box and find the numbers it still needs. Often only one square is possible.
Use Notes when a square has two or three options
Notes let you see pairs and triples that point to an answer.
Never guess
Every puzzle can be reasoned out. A guess that turns out wrong costs you a mistake and your confidence.
Scan again after each number
A new number removes possibilities from its whole row, column and box, so previously stuck squares often open up.
Sudoku levels
- Sudoku Easy
Easy Sudoku gives about 40 numbers, and each step has one clear answer. It is the best place to learn the game, and a pleasant short puzzle for anyone. - Sudoku Medium
Medium Sudoku gives about 33 numbers. There is still no guessing, but you have to look harder for the next number, and you will start to use the hidden single technique. - Sudoku Hard
Hard Sudoku gives about 28 numbers. Single steps are not enough, so you need pencil notes and the habit of spotting pairs of numbers that share two squares. - Sudoku Near impossible
Near impossible Sudoku gives as few numbers as the puzzle can carry while still having exactly one answer. Puzzles like this need patient notes and careful elimination.
Questions about Sudoku
Does every puzzle have exactly one answer?
Yes. Each puzzle is checked so that there is exactly one way to fill the grid.
What are the Sudoku levels?
Easy gives about 40 numbers, Medium about 33, Hard about 28, and Near impossible gives as few as the puzzle can carry while still having exactly one answer.
Do I need to guess?
No. Easy and Medium can be solved one clear step at a time. Hard needs notes and deeper reasoning.
What happens if I make mistakes?
A wrong number turns red and counts as a mistake. Three mistakes end a game, unless you switch the limit off when you start.
Can I solve a puzzle from a newspaper?
Yes. Use the Sudoku solver to enter the numbers you have and ask for the next step, a few steps, or the whole answer.
More games
Klondike, Pyramid, TriPeaks, or see all of the games.