Sudoku Solving Guide
Greetings Friend. In this Solving Guide, I explain the Classic Sudoku rules and show you the top 7
strategies you need to solve more than 80% of all the Sudoku puzzles you will ever see, including the
New York Times “Hard” puzzles. And with that, It’s Solving Time.
The Rules of Sudoku
Classic Sudoku is played on a 9x9 grid that is divided into 9 3x3 blocks. Classic Sudoku uses the digits 1-9
to fill in the cells of the grid and has three basic rules:
1. Each row must contain the numbers 1-9 without repetition.
2. Each column must contain the numbers 1-9 without repetition.
3. Each 3x3 block must contain the numbers 1-9 without repetition.
Look in Diagram A. The black digits represent the starting cells of the puzzle, and the blue digits are cells
that have been placed in the grid to solve the puzzle. Notice how Row 1, Column 1, and Block 2 (the
upper middle block) all follow the rules of Sudoku because they contain the digits 1-9 without repetition.
To complete a Sudoku puzzle, you would fill in the remaining cells using the three rules of Sudoku.
Diagram A
Before you move on to the 7 strategies, watch this short video to review the rules of Sudoku:
Sudoku Shorts #4
us
Strategy #1 – Naked Single
A Naked Single refers to a Sudoku cell with only one possible candidate remaining.
[A candidate refers to any digit that can be a possible solution for one cell.]
You can eliminate candidates in a cell for any digit that “sees” that cell. When you only have one
possible candidate remaining, that is a Naked Single, and you can solve that cell for the last remaining
candidate.
Look at Diagram 1. One of the cells in Block 3 (top right block) contains a Naked Single.
Find the Naked Single in Block 3 by using the diagram or this solving link: https://tinyurl.com/43npkw7e
Diagram 1
Now watch this short video to check your answer:
Sudoku Shorts #2
Strategy #2 – Hidden Single
A Hidden Single is a candidate that is “hidden” in a cell of multiple candidates, but which does not
appear in any other cell of the respective Sudoku house.
[A house refers to either a row, column, or block in Sudoku.]
You solve Hidden Singles when you can eliminate the target candidate from every other cell in the
respective house. Crosshatching is the technique used to find Hidden Singles and involves scanning
across the grid to make these eliminations.
Look at Diagram 2. The two orange cells contain Hidden Singles that you can solve by Crosshatching.
You should consider the top orange cell first and then the bottom orange cell when solving.
Solve the two orange cells by using the diagram or this solving link: http://tinyurl.com/56cv5427
Diagram 2
Now watch this short video to check your answers:
Sudoku Shorts #9
Strategy #3 – Pointing Pair
A Pointing Pair exists when two of the same candidate remain within the same block, and both are
confined to the same row or column. Whenever you have a Pointing Pair, you can eliminate all other
possibilities for that candidate within the same row or column.
Look at the green cells in Diagram 4. Those are the only two cells where the candidate 1 can be in Block
8 (bottom middle block). These cells form a Pointing Pair, so you can eliminate all other possibilities for
a 1 along Row 9.
Solve for 1 in Block 9 (bottom right block) by using the diagram or this solving link:
http://tinyurl.com/bdhu4b3
Diagram 4
Now watch this short to check your answer: Sudoku Short #13
Strategy #4 – Naked Pair
A Naked Pair consists of two cells in the same house (row, column, or block) that have the same pair of
candidates remaining. Whenever you find a Naked Pair, you can eliminate those two candidates from
every other cell in the respective house.
Look at Diagram 3. Block 7 (bottom left block) has only two empty cells remaining (colored in blue),
which makes them a Naked Pair. You can determine what the two cells are by considering the existing
digits in Block 7.
Solve the blue cells by using the diagram or this solving link: http://tinyurl.com/mwdfcnur
Diagram 3
Now watch this short video to check your answers:
Sudoku Short #14
Strategy #5 – Hidden Pair
A Hidden Pair exists when two different candidate digits are limited to the same two cells in a Sudoku
house, and other candidates exist in those cells. The limited digits are "hidden" among other candidates
but are the only viable candidates for those two cells. You can eliminate all other candidates from those
two cells. The difference between Naked Pairs and Hidden Pairs is that Naked Pairs eliminate candidates
outside the block, while Hidden Pairs eliminate candidates inside the block.
First, look at the orange cells in Diagram 5. Those two cells can only be 57 because there are no other
cells in Block 2 where a 5 or 7 is possible. The orange cells are a Hidden Pair, and we can remove all
other possible candidates from those two cells (I have already removed them).
Next, look across Row 8. Notice how all cell candidates have been filled in. The green cells represent the
only two possibilities for a 4. There is a Hidden Pair along Row 8 that will eliminate 4 as a possibility for
one of the green cells.
Solve for 4 in Row 8 by using the diagram or this solving link: http://tinyurl.com/23sw7j9x
Diagram 5
Now watch this short video to check your answer: Sudoku Short #36
Strategy #6 – Claiming Pair
A Claiming Pair exists when two of the same candidate share a row or column but are confined to only
one block. Claiming Pairs allow us to eliminate all other possible candidates within the same block. The
difference between Pointing Pairs and Claiming Pairs is that Pointing Pairs eliminate candidates outside
the block, while Claiming Pairs eliminate candidates inside the block.
Look at Diagram 6. All possible candidates for this stage of the puzzle are in the cells for Columns 7,8,
and 9. The highlighted cells are the only possibilities for the candidate 7 in Column 8 (note that we have
a 69 Hidden Pair in Block 3 that eliminates a 7 from Column 8 in that block). Since the 7’s can only be in
Column 8 within Block 9, they are a Claiming Pair. We can eliminate all other candidate 7’s from Block 9.
Solve a cell in Block 9 by using the Claiming Pair in the orange cells. You can use the diagram or this
solving link: http://tinyurl.com/arnd26nn
Diagram 6
Now watch this short to check your answer: Sudoku Short #29
Strategy #7 – Naked Triple
A Naked Triple is comprised of three cells in the same Sudoku house that have only the same three
candidates as possible solutions. Like a Naked Pair, you can eliminate the three candidates of a Naked
Triple from other cells in that house.
Look at Diagram 7. The blue cells represent the three remaining cells in Block 1, which makes them a
Naked Triple (they form a Naked Triple for Row 3 as well). You can determine what 3 candidates make
up the blue cells by considering what digits are already in Block 1.
Solve all three blue cells using the diagram or solving link below: http://tinyurl.com/3ryzrumr
Diagram 7
Now watch this short video to check your answer: Sudoku Short #43
Putting It All Together
Look at Diagram 8. This puzzle is “Casquette Enchanteur” by rockratzero. This puzzle requires all 7
strategies that you just learned in order to solve it.
For your final knowledge check, solve “Casquette Enchanteur” using the diagram below or this solving
link: https://tinyurl.com/mw3d7t8k
Diagram 8
Watch this video to check your answer: Sudoku Handmade Classics #116
Next Steps
Congratulations! You are now able to solve over 80% of all Sudoku puzzles. Do you want to improve that
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Sincerely,
Timberlake
