How to Play Sudoku

Sudoku is a logic-based number puzzle played on a 9×9 grid divided into nine 3×3 boxes. The goal is to fill every empty cell with a digit from 1 to 9 so that no number repeats in any row, column, or box.

Basic rules

• Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9 without repetition.
• Each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9 without repetition.
• Each 3×3 box must also contain the numbers 1 to 9 once each.

How to start

Begin with rows, columns, or boxes that already have many numbers filled in. Look for digits that can appear in only one cell of a region. Eliminate possibilities by checking what’s already present in the intersecting row, column, and box.

Techniques to try

• Cross-hatching: Scan rows and columns to find the only spot a number can go within a box.
• Pencil marks: Write small candidate numbers in empty cells to keep track of possibilities.
• Naked pairs or triples: If two cells in a region can only contain the same two numbers, those numbers can be removed from all other cells in that region.

Winning the puzzle

Keep using logic and elimination until every cell is filled correctly. A valid Sudoku has exactly one solution and requires no guessing. When every row, column, and box contains 1 to 9, you’ve completed the puzzle!

💡 Tip: Practice daily — even a few minutes a day improves your pattern recognition and logical thinking skills.